To think people are very quick to forget the pandemic

[BelleMarionette]

Myself, and other junior doctors, worked hard on the covid wards, in appalling conditions. We didn't have decent PPE, and often had little to no relevant experience or training, as many were redeployed with little notice (in my case, 36 hours). Almost all of of us became sick, some very seriously so, and some even died. Many more were left struggling with our own mental health, suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression.

We are now striking, due to pay erosion over the past 15 years. In real terms its around a 30% pay cut. It's difficult to live on what we are be being paid, especially with families to support.

I have seen an awful lot of negative comments about junior doctors on another thread. Aibu to think the public has been very quick to forget our contribution during the pandemic?

I would dearly love to be wrong and see support

Drs pay erosion is not directly connected to covid, pay erosion can be seen across many jobs, the question is what the pay should be now based on affordability. There's no magic money pot, more money for one sector means less for another or tax rises - who do you suggest gets tax cuts because we can't afford tax rises, some of us got a 0% pay rise!

Ah, the predictable, race to the bottom comments.

Yes, there are other underpaid professions. This does not justify underpaying others.

Almost everyone has the legal right to strike.

Correct. All of those plus doctors should be paid better

@kievs well that's obvious!!! I'm not in retail, but they deserve as much as NHS staff. They worked just as hard

Unfortunately in my job we are not allowed to strike

So no payrise for us!

What do you think Junior doctors earn?

This is your experience and is very valid to you. The rest of us happily forgot about it and leave alone want to spend our lives in hospitals

I'm sure the stats showed that factory workers were most at risk from covid?

They had the highest death rates I'm sure.

Probably more to do with the demographic of factory workers than the role but its not true to say doctors were more at risk than any other role.

Carers and nurses were most at risk of hcp.

I think lots of people are desperately struggling at the moment and can only dream of the salaries mentioned in the other thread, which is why the OP is getting a drubbing. I’m a vet and know that vet wages are worse, presumably with a similar debt level. Finding sympathy for the wage level is a stretch, even for me.

The problem isn’t necessarily the wages, from the sound of it, but the working conditions, which sound appalling. The Covid risk must have been horrendously stressful, but increasing wages long term isn’t really the answer to that particular problem. Better conditions and extra payments at the time might have been. I suspect nurses were equally at risk, but paid much less, so the argument that other workers didn’t face the same risks isn’t strictly true.

It’s horrible for everyone right now and I don’t blame anyone for striking because the government have been running down the public sector for years and I agree pay should generally be higher, but looking for sympathy from people, some of whom are probably genuinely struggling to keep the heating on and feed their children, or are perhaps at risk of losing their houses, was always going to be a difficult ask.

Im not quick to forget the pandemic I remember the psychological abuse we were subjected to only too well.

Where did the totally broke UK get half a billion fora deal with France?
Magic money pots are nonsense. Governments can create money.

Is this the police? I did see nearly everyone, as I know some are legally barred from doing so. I know the police have had a lot of pay erosion as well. I do support you.

It is relevant, of course it is.

I don’t even know or really care specifically what salary they are on. We will hypothetically say £40k.

Their salary is eroding due to cost of living. People tend to live to their means. So yeah, their salary is higher. But their mortgage is probably higher too.

Typically people borrow 3.5x their salary. With rising interest rates; their mortgage payments are going up by more than those who own a home of lower value.

Any of the people who feel junior doctors are well paid are welcome to join them.

No they not...

Some jobs aren’t. Which is why governments should commit to at least inflation rises every year for them. Don’t race to the bottom. Ask for better.

As a nurse I’ve not forgotten (never will I don’t think) and absolutely support the strike. Junior doctors are worth so much more.

I do think that you are brave to post this though! You will get a lot of horrible comments about how you’ve got it better than others and knew what you were getting into. So best of luck!

I found myself in a and e Christmas eve. And had a lovely chat with the junior doctor who saw me. He asked me if the bed I was laying on was comfortable as he had no way of getting home (no trains running Christmas day) so when his shift was due to finish Christmas morning he was going to stay in the hospital and try and find somewhere to sleep so he would be there for his shift that night. He said he loves his job but it's getting harder and harder for him and his colleagues. I fully support them they deserve the right decent pay.

Factory workers top, teachers and carers were second.

You are completely correct about demographics though - I was the one who pointed this out on a previous thread we were on together.

I support you 100%, and think it’s absolutely shameful how NHS staff have been treated, and after all that bloody clapping. I wonder if Boris, and Carrie, and Rishi, were really thinking all along, “I hope they’re happy with the claps because that’s all they’re getting” whilst they were smiling on their doorsteps for the cameras. Whilst the rest of us thought it was a turning point, that NHS staff, and carers, would finally be appreciated and paid what they deserve, what were they thinking?

Op, I support you. I owe my life to the NHS and the Doctors I saw most frequently were junior doctors. They were kind and seemed interested in me - kept my spirits up. I have friends in the profession and it’s a slog to work your way up.
So, thank you. I sincerely hope you get your raise.

That seems very eye-rolly. Surely he knew in advance there would be no trains on Christmas day and could’ve arranged alternative transport. Lots of people work on Christmas Day. I don’t know what this anecdote has got to do with this junior doctor who feels undervalued for working through a pandemic and wants a pay rise.

Teachers were not at any greater risk than any other sector so I'm not sure how they could be second with carers

But I'm not getting into that 1 again.

The op isn't doing themselves any favours over stating the risk to doctors.

@BelleMarionette I don’t think people have forgotten that thousands of people continued to do their jobs through the pandemic, no.

Not sure what that’s got to do with you wanting a payrise either way? Do you mean the people that don’t support the strikes? If so, I still don’t see how that’s linked to you assuming they’ve forgotten you worked through covid?

I think some of the people who don’t support the strikes feel that way as many people go into nursing, medicine, teaching etc surely having researched the salaries and hours expected so to for those same people to then turn around and withhold their labour seems odd to them.

I'm 100% with you and am appalled at how low the pay is for junior docs

I knew the salary when I entered medical school. That salary has eroded by around 30% since I started medical school, and the terms and conditions are much worse now.

So no, it's not a question, of 'we knew what we were getting ourselves into'. No one predicted the pandemic either.