7 godzin temu
Resident doctors in Scotland will ballot on strike action from 14 November to 19 December, the British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland announced. The union accuses the Scottish Government of breaking a 2023 pay agreement that promised to restore doctors' salaries to 2008 levels over three years.
The dispute centers on the government's proposed 4.25% pay increase for 2025-26. BMA Scotland says this falls below independent recommendations and amounts to a real-terms pay cut, undoing progress made over the past two years.
Dr Chris Smith, chair of BMA's Scottish Resident Doctor Committee, said: «Doctors have been shocked that the Scottish Government appears intent on undoing the progress made in restoring our pay over the last two years. We are clear that we will stand up to protect the deal agreed in good faith by both sides.» He added: «As always, we remain ready to negotiate at any time and any place. But we will not sit idle while the Scottish Government attempts to break the agreement struck with Scottish resident doctors in 2023.»
Historic significance
Scotland has been the only UK nation to avoid industrial action by doctors until now. The ballot opens on the same day as scheduled strikes by resident doctors in England. Smith expressed solidarity: «I know I speak for all Scottish doctors when I say we stand in solidarity with our colleagues south of the border.»
Smith has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care about the ballot dates, urging the government to «take the necessary steps to reverse decisions that are putting NHS Scotland on the path to disruptive strike action.» He said the government could distinguish itself from Westminster by returning to negotiations with a credible pay offer. The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
