Doctors in England Launch Five-Day Strike Over Pay and Training Jobs
Thousands of resident doctors in England began a five-day strike—their longest ever—on November 14, protesting stagnant pay and lack of training positions. This marks the 13th medical walkout since March 2023, as the National Health Service (NHS) reels from chronic understaffing and Britain’s prolonged cost-of-living crisis. The British Medical Association (BMA) is demanding a 26% pay increase to match real earnings from two decades ago, and more training posts for junior medics struggling to secure consultant pathways. Government health minister Wes Streeting condemned the strike, branding it “political posturing,” arguing doctors recently received a 28.9% pay raise—the highest public sector award in two years. Resident doctors counter that over 30,000 candidates now vie for only 10,000 posts needed for long-term career progression, leaving many without jobs after years of training. Strikes by nurses, teachers, lawyers, and other workers continue to […]