Resident doctors vote for strike action in row over jobs
Why resident doctors voted overwhelmingly for strike action
- First-year doctors in England have overwhelmingly voted in favour of strike action, citing concerns over job security and significant pay erosion.
- The British Medical Association (BMA) reported that 97 per cent of first-year resident doctors voted for industrial action, with a 65 per cent turnout.
- The BMA highlighted that many doctors face uncertainty, with 34 per cent of resident doctors surveyed having no substantive employment from August 2025, alongside a 21 per cent pay cut since 2008.
- While no strikes are currently planned, the BMA stated that industrial action will proceed if ongoing talks with the government fail to address both pay restoration and job security issues.
- The government acknowledges training bottlenecks and is implementing measures, but urges the BMA against strikes, with a meeting between the Health Secretary and BMA leadership scheduled for 13 October.