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Junior doctor strikes back on as talks fail | Junior doctor strikes back on as talks fail |
(35 minutes later) | |
Strikes by junior doctors in England are back on after talks with the government have broken down. | |
A 24-hour walk-out next Tuesday will be followed by a 48-hour strike on 26 January and a third day of action in February over a new contract, the British Medical Association said. | |
It comes after the union agreed to cancel three strikes last month to re-enter talks with the government. | It comes after the union agreed to cancel three strikes last month to re-enter talks with the government. |
But those negotiations have failed to reach an agreement in time. | But those negotiations have failed to reach an agreement in time. |
The BMA had until midnight to decide whether it wanted to take industrial action - or face having to re-ballot its members. | The BMA had until midnight to decide whether it wanted to take industrial action - or face having to re-ballot its members. |
This is because of trade union rules which only allow industrial action in set timescales and require unions to give a week's notice of any walk-out. | This is because of trade union rules which only allow industrial action in set timescales and require unions to give a week's notice of any walk-out. |
The strike details announced are: | |
The development came after both sides sat down on Monday for the first time since the Christmas break. | |
Weeks of negotiations had taken place right up until Christmas Eve following the intervention of conciliation service Acas. | |
Those talks marked the first time both sides had met formally since the break down of the original talks in autumn 2014. | |
What is the dispute about? | |
The junior doctors row explained | |
What exactly do junior doctors do? | |
How does your job compare? | |
BMA leader Dr Mark Porter said: "Throughout this process the BMA has been clear that it wants to reach agreement on a contract that is good for patients, junior doctors and the NHS. | BMA leader Dr Mark Porter said: "Throughout this process the BMA has been clear that it wants to reach agreement on a contract that is good for patients, junior doctors and the NHS. |
"This is why, despite overwhelming support for industrial action, the BMA instead sought conciliation talks with the government. | "This is why, despite overwhelming support for industrial action, the BMA instead sought conciliation talks with the government. |
"After weeks of further negotiations, it is clear that the government is still not taking junior doctors' concerns seriously. | "After weeks of further negotiations, it is clear that the government is still not taking junior doctors' concerns seriously. |
"Furthermore, the government has repeatedly dragged its feet throughout this process, initially rejecting our offer of talks and failing to make significant movement during negotiations. | "Furthermore, the government has repeatedly dragged its feet throughout this process, initially rejecting our offer of talks and failing to make significant movement during negotiations. |
"We sincerely regret the disruption that industrial action will cause, but junior doctors have been left with no option. It is because the government's proposals would be bad for patient care as well as junior doctors in the long-term that we are taking this stand." | "We sincerely regret the disruption that industrial action will cause, but junior doctors have been left with no option. It is because the government's proposals would be bad for patient care as well as junior doctors in the long-term that we are taking this stand." |
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