Militant health union bosses have boasted that their huge strikes war chest has helped ‘more than 6,000 doctors’ walkout, it emerged today.
In a message to members, British Medical Association barons gloated that their ‘industrial action fund’ was helping doctors afford to ‘take many thousands of strike days’.
The rallying cry, which urged wealthier members to donate more towards the fund, added: ‘It is making a real difference. Please help us fight on, now and into the future!’
In July, the Mail revealed how the BMA has amassed a £1million war chest which it has ‘ringfenced’ to ‘bully’ ministers into giving them another huge pay rise of 29 per cent.
This is on top of 22 per cent awarded by Labour last year in a bid to end strikes.
Further reserves worth tens of millions built up by the militant union could also be tapped into to wreak chaos throughout the winter.
The latest revelation reveals the extent to which the BMA is helping draw out the conflict by subsidising strikes, with NHS bosses estimating that less than a third (26,000) of resident doctors took part in the last five-day walkout in July.
It means the BMA is enabling as many as around a quarter or more to go on strike.
Striking resident doctors have repeatedly caused NHS chaos, striking 49 days since 2023
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has insisted he won’t be ‘held to ransom’ by the BMA, but talks with the BMA are said to have ‘completely collapsed’
Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith blasted Labour, accusing ministers of allowing the BMA to ‘run riot’
It also suggests talks between the militant union and Health Secretary Wes Streeting have broken down, with BMA sources warning several more waves of strikes are on the cards.
Conservative business spokesman Andrew Griffith blasted: ‘Labour has bent over backwards for the unions every chance they have got, with no-strings-attached pay rises and the Employment Bill [which makes it easier to call strikes by lowering ballot turnout thresholds].
‘It is no surprise they are now running riot. They are out of control.’
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith added: ‘If we’re not careful, we’re heading towards all the lessons learned in the 1970s being reversed and the unions just being able to hold the country to ransom.
‘Taxpayers and health service users deserve better.’
Another crippling five-day strike by resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, has been announced for 14-19 November in England.
It will be the second since Labour won the election last year, despite the party promising to end them.
The last five-day strike in July caused tens of thousands of appointments and procedures to be cancelled, worsening NHS waiting lists.
Resident doctors have repeatedly been striking since 2023, over the number of jobs and training contracts available to them, their working conditions and their pay
Resident doctors have repeatedly been striking since 2023, over the number of jobs and training contracts available to them, their working conditions and their pay
Dr Emma Runswick, the BMA deputy chair of council, said the BMA strike fund has ‘enabled mainly resident doctors, who otherwise simply could not have afforded to take strike action, the ability to do so’
On Sunday, Mr Streeting vowed that he won’t be ‘held to ransom’, warning the BMA they were putting jobs at risk. But the warning has apparently fallen on deaf ears.
A union source said talks had ‘completely broken down’, accusing the Health Secretary of making ‘vague promises’ around creating more annual training places for doctors.
He is also said to have ‘made clear that there’s no money for pay rises this financial year’ during talks, all but completely dashing hopes of a breakthrough.
The source added that resident doctors will be re-balloted in January, when the current strike mandate expires, raising the prospect of strikes dragging on until next summer.
Dr Emma Runswick, the BMA deputy chair of council, said: ‘The strike fund has enabled mainly resident doctors, who otherwise simply could not have afforded to take strike action, the ability to do so.
‘They cannot afford to lose what is already for many, a low wage, even for a single day, due mostly to the high cost of living, and additional responsibilities such as childcare, high commuting costs and student loan repayments.
‘The strike fund helps replace some of the lost wages. Most doctors claiming from the fund earn less than £19 per hour.’
She added that the government would only end the dispute by putting ‘an offer on the table that restores the pay to where it needs to be, gives the much needed increase in jobs and helps bring down patient waiting lists.’
It is understood that strikers are given £60 a day under the BMA’s strike fund.
Since 2023, resident doctors have gone on strike for 49 days.
They are striking over the number of jobs and training contracts available to them, their working conditions and their pay, as they lobby for a 29 per cent pay increase.
The Health department was contacted for comment.