Resident doctor’s strike: Leeds divided over industrial action with support and criticism
Resident doctors are in the middle of a fresh round of industrial action, after talks to resolve a pay dispute with the government failed to resolve the dispute.
The six-day strike began on Tuesday (April 7) and is taking place across the country. A resident doctor from Leeds spoke of his disappointment that it had to go ahead yesterday.
“I’m truly disappointed. I’d rather be at work. I didn’t really think it was going to come to this,” said BMA rep Francesco Palazzo, an emergency medicine specialist trainee at St James’s Hospital.
“We’re on strike because the rug has been pulled out from underneath the negotiations at the last minute by the Government.”
Over on the Yorkshire Evening Post Facebook page, we asked our readers for their opinions on the strikes - and it is safe to say people were divided. Even those who supported the doctors were unsure of the strikes.
One said: “They do an amazing job under difficult circumstances and I appreciate their wages have not risen appropriately for years under the Conservative govt. However financially this country cannot afford to suddenly increase their salaries to 2008 levels.
“Thousands of other public sector employees and many in the private sector, pensioners etc haven't had the increases to salary that they need to live . So I am finding it hard to continue to support them, when millions are waiting for urgent treatment, appointments etc.”
Another reader echoed: “No. They should be having discussions to stop this and reach a compromise. I know their wages were devalued for 14 years under the Tories but they cannot expect it to be put back in such a short time. The government can not afford it.”
One said: “100% support our amazing resident doctors. They save lives, they make life and death decisions, they should be on more than MPs because what do they do?
“Let's protest MP salaries and expenses and pay doctors properly.”
Another added: “It has to be settled by discussion when lives may be at risk. They deserve better.”
While one of our readers wrote: “Yes, support them fully. If we are to keep our NHS doctors we need to pay them a decent wage.”
A person echoed: “We need to find a way to pay them and keep them. Practically every other country in the world will gladly accept a British educated Doctor to their land, where they're potentially paid better, worked less or both. Then everyone left here will be in an even worse state.”
However, others were not in support of the strikes. One reader wrote: “You do not walk out of a job and why did they go for the job in the first place.”
A more nuanced response said: “So last year I got a 2% pay raise this year I will receive a 2.1% this as been about the average pay rise that I have received for the last 10 years in some cases through Covid 0% so in say 10 years I have maybe a 15% pay raise, they have had 30% in 5 years.
“Recently with bills gas/ electric, council tax, water etc food prices. The standard of living for me as dropped.
“Yes they do a good job, yes they train hard etc but it’s the wrong time to keep asking for more and more. The working class are struggling. We all want a decent pay rise, at moment the country cannot afford what there asking for. The NHS on the whole needs restructuring.”
Another said: “Being a doctor is not just a job it is a vocation, I appreciate that they work hard to get their qualifications, they are not exactly on the breadline as some of the patients are whose treatment will be delayed due to them striking again. They have a duty of care and should be ashamed of themselves.”
One wrote: “Absolutely not. They should not be allowed to strike, they should negotiate like adults, not throw toys out of pram like children. Don't like the job ,do something else. You're human like the rest of us.
While another said: “They knew the deal when they were training”