Leicester Doctors All-Out to Defend the NHS

During the last round of the Junior Doctors strike action, I was proud to be able to stand on the picket outside Leicester Royal Infirmary in the rain. This time, however I couldn’t make it, but I was glad to hear that their ranks are swelling by the day, from a brilliant display of some thirty odd people to somewhere approaching 100 this time round – this time in the snow.

Yet the media continue to misrepresent this dispute in the most shocking and unhelpful of ways. Although, that said, when the media do allow the doctors to speak for themselves, government lies about pay offers and their so-called commitment to a 7-day NHS quickly become apparent.

Earlier tonight, Channel 4 News joined the media chorus accusing the doctors of “trying to bring down the government”. In this instance, the Junior Doctor being live on television did well to keep his cool and brilliantly rebutted this nonsensical accusation. He also made it clear that “the Conservative government have been elected on the back of a manifesto promise that they have no plan for, no funds for, and no staff for, and doctors are just being ridden over for political expediency; and that’s the problem because doctors want to work with the government, they don’t want to be on strike.”

But the doctors are not alone: they never have been and never will be. Not only do our Junior Doctors have massive public support, but other parts of the NHS are rallying alongside them too. A visible display of such solidarity from other worker and unions was clear and present on the picket lines here in Leicester (see picture below at Glenfield Hospital).

In other good news, the Leicester Mercury also reported that the union GMB is now balloting their health members over potential industrial action in the ambulance service.

Steve Rice, GMB ambulance committee chairman, explained to the Mercury how: “Staff are heartily sick and tired of being pushed around and say ‘enough is enough’.” Once again, it seems that Jeremy Hunt has not been following through on his prior agreements with workers.

Moreover, demonstrating that joint action between unions is always possible, ambulance workers in Unison and Unite are balloting their members on the same issue.

To defend pay and terms and conditions, it seems clear that all health workers outside of the BMA must now be balloted for strike action which can then be coordinated with that taken by our doctors.

These vital tactics can be combined with applying pressure to Hospital Trusts. Hunt already faces opposition amongst the Trust chief executives he claimed supported him. And he cannot compel the 152 Foundation Trusts to impose his contract.

But the BMA, backed by trade unions, trades councils, health campaigners and the community, could compel Trusts to maintain the existing national agreement and not impose Hunt’s contract. Over 50 junior doctors at St George’s Trust have written to the chief executive there asking him to resist Hunt. Such actions could be combined with mobilising big protests to pressure Trustees to confirm non-imposition.

As concrete steps forward the Socialist Party thus suggests that the following could be organised:

• Mass joint trade union meetings to discuss the next steps including support action on forthcoming strike days
• United local trade union and community protests to compel Trusts to maintain the existing nationally agreed contracts
• Call on Jeremy Corbyn to instigate an emergency meeting of the Labour NEC and TUC to look at organising a mass demonstration and solidarity action in support of the Junior Doctors and to save the NHS
• Co-ordinated strike action across the NHS in defence of pay and terms and conditions as a step towards a 24-hour general strike