THE proposal, made by 22 medical colleges and faculties for a five-day pause in the drive to impose new junior doctors’ contracts in England, in return for which the British Medical Association would suspend for five days any plans for new strike actions to allow talks, was initially slapped down by a haughty Department of Health.
The plea brought a rude response from the Hunt led Health Department: ‘It is now too late to change the process of bringing in contracts which is well under way throughout the country.’
That reply clearly indicates that the government remains determined to inflict a defeat on the BMA, and then to treat all NHS unions in the same dictatorial fashion, as the key to its drive to privatise the NHS, and, to use Hunt’s words, ‘denationalise’ it.
In contrast, Dr Johann Malawana, BMA Junior Doctors Committee chair, said of the proposal: ‘No junior doctor ever wanted it to reach this point. We have said since day one that we wanted to reach a negotiated agreement, and have repeatedly urged the government to re-enter talks.
‘The government itself has admitted that there are serious, outstanding issues with the proposed contract. As such, the BMA would be prepared to agree to this proposal and temporarily suspend industrial action so that talks can resume with a mutually agreed facilitator, if the government is also prepared to suspend the threat of imposition.’
However, by mid morning, the government modified its position – it blinked – once again using the House of Lords to make its retreat. Lord Prior of Brampton said Hunt was now willing to ‘pause’ the introduction of the new contract and was writing a letter to the BMA. But he said the doctors’ union must focus discussions on outstanding contractual issues such as unsocial hours and Saturday pay.
The BMA then accepted the government’s change in position saying, ‘Junior doctors have said since the outset that we want to reach a negotiated agreement, and have repeatedly urged the government to re-enter talks. As suggested by the Academy, we are keen to restart talks with an open mind. It is critical to find a way forward on all the outstanding issues – which are more than just pay – and hope that a new offer is made that can break the impasse.’
What has been revealed is that the Tory government, crisis-ridden and split over 101 issues, including the EU, the savage cuts and its privatisation policy, is not as strong as its rhetoric – it has got feet of clay.
The fact that the TUC had before it, last Wednesday, a resolution from the PCS and FBU to call a Day of Action in support of the junior doctors would not have escaped the notice of the Tories – that millions of workers were on the brink of coming into the struggle and that it could be brought down!
Hunt and Cameron are now relying on the overwhelming desire of the BMA leadership to get rid of this struggle, to assist them out of this crisis. However the junior doctors are completely opposed to this contract and are demanding that it be withdrawn and binned, and replaced by a new doctor, NHS and patient-friendly contract.
In fact, many sections of this proposed contract are illegal. Junior Doctors Committee chair Johann Malawana has said that this contract is unfair and discriminates against women. Further: ‘This total disregard for equality and fairness is frankly appalling and is the basis of a legal challenge being brought by the BMA against the Government.’
Junior doctors must mobilise and see to it that the BMA does not weaken and let the Tories off a hook that is entirely of their own making. The Junior Doctors Committee that meets on Saturday must demand that the BMA leadership stands fast and insists that the contract and contract imposition be binned.
It must recommend to the Junior Doctors Conference on Saturday 14th that if the government has not withdrawn the contract there must be two more days of strike action at the start of June, and that the TUC be invited by the BMA to join the action. A PCS spokesman told News Line yesterday: ‘We are calling on the TUC to organise a national day of action in support of the junior doctors and our NHS.’
This is the way forward, to smash the imposed contract, defend the NHS and bring down the Tories.