Doctor's strike - what do they actually get paid?

[MageQueen]

I see doctors are striking again. They want a 29% increase, after 5.5% the last two years and the approx 20% they got after the last strike.

I'm a bit confused. What do they actually earn?

Broadly, I'm in favour of NHS doctors being paid a good wage but I think they lost me when they say that salaries need to be equivalent to 2008. I mean, I don't disagree, but they're not the only ones whose pay is significantly lower in real terms and with all due respect, unlike most of us, they've at least had SOME improvements? I wouldn't want to be a nurse, a retail worker, a childminder etc at this point becuase as far as I can tell, pay has barely moved in 10 years even as cost of living has spiralled.

But then, I don't know what they earn so for all I know, they're on very low wages considering the responsibility we put on them.

But isn’t this strike about junior doctors pay?

A pension which has been reformed twice, reducing it's worth in the last 10 years, is now career average rather than final. Salary, and, is based on earnings!

I hadnt even taken the actuarial reductiion of the value of my pension due to below inflation payrises.

Sod 20%... 40% please.

They're all types junior (now called resident) doctors, until they complete training and become consultants in that specialty.

Or they can leave training and become a specialty doctor, without being a consultant. That is another payscale.

Yes but my point is there are many other healthcare professionals within the NHS. You don’t see us striking, we keep it going.

Like I said, any employee group is at liberty to ask/demand/strike for a pay rise. Any one of them could say ‘what about xyz’.

If you're unhappy with your pay and feel undervalued, then how do you see that changing unless you take action?

It amazes me people dont see the wood for the trees, UK doctors are tremendous value working in the NHS, the were in 2008, and they're 25% better value now.

There has been a continuous pressure on working conditions, pay, training pathways, professional status. It'll probably continue, and is the reason good-will will evaporate entirely.

Case in point, I do at least 10 hours a week of work outside of my contracted hours per week, no mechanism for toil or overtime, based on a 42 week year, thats £1.2m the country in theiry owes me over 40 years. I'll never claim it, but the new doctors wont, and arent even doing it in the first place, thats why efficiency and productivity has collapsed.

I do not have the BMA behind me…….

The bma weren't behind us for a lot of years, hence the drop in pay, the nmc, unite, unison etc did a much better job for years.

The BMA sat idle through MTAS, MMC, EWTD, 2 pension reforms and the 2016 contract negotiations, they finally woke up when people started joining other unions like HSCA and are now playing catch-up.

What happens if my wife goes into labour when the doctors are on strike and she needs a C-section?
Just found out about the strike and I'm very worried!

Well, I personally don’t support it or agree with it.

it’s also worth noting:

Some 55 per cent of eligible doctors took part in the vote. Fewer than half of the doctors entitled to take part in the ballot voted to support the strike action, with 26,766 of 53,766 voting in favour.
Given there are some 77,000 resident doctors working in the NHS in total – it means fewer than a third want to take strike action.
Just one in five members of the British public support the resident doctors striking, according to polling by the Good Growth Foundation.

We should strike, and I hope nurses do strike this year.

Public finances are not the responsibility of staff, its not up to staff to balance the books by working for less than we're worth.

We've had years of pay freezes and pay erosion, and working conditions are worse than ever. A covid uplift as a one off doesn't make this ok.

Taxing people over 50k, are you for real? That’s not far off my pay, and I am already squeezed with all of my outgoings and tax. Absolutely not fair at all to target that demographic in my opinion!!!

Technically most of us in this country are underpaid and struggling, don’t see why they should get any special treatment to be honest! They can go on to earn a great deal more in their careers and have access to generous supplementation!

People in private sector jobs didn't have a decade long pay freeze because of austerity. Its not special treatment, it is correcting their pay.

If you're squeezed under AFC, perhaps it's time to drop the martyr complex and ask for fair pay too.

This is a specific issue that has been addressed by Wes Streeting - real problem this August but hopefully not going forward

Doctors are nowhere near as well paid as they were even 15 years ago.

Who is? wages have stagnated for most unfortunately.

They are not “saving lives every day”. I hate this hyperbole. Some will be saving lives. Most of them won’t. They maybe be helping people but this deification of healthcare workers does my head in.

Re pay you need to remember that they are also receiving significant enhancements for nights etc. my daughter is a doctor. Since she graduated 3 years ago she’s been able to run a car, live in a city centre flat and take holidays abroad. Pretty decent quality of life.

I know several people on benefits who are able to do exactly the same thing 😂

What's your point?!

People in private sector jobs didn't have a decade long pay freeze because of austerity.

Of course people in the private sector were impacted by the financial crash, many lost jobs & plenty say wages stagnate or drop.

The nhs pension scheme is one of the few that is actually sustainable. It’s why labour want to try and raid it.

Exactly

Disagree. They are in their training years, they will then go on to earning a good salary.

Care workers wipe bums and technically “save lives” but they get paid next to nothing.