Resident doctors in England begin 6-day strike over pay dispute

Thousands of resident doctors across England began a six-day strike Tuesday in a long-running dispute with the government over pay.

The walkout, the 15th round of industrial action, started at 7 am local time (0600GMT) and is set to continue until 7 am on Monday, April 13.

The British Medical Association, or BMA, said last month that its Resident Doctors Committee rejected Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s latest offer of a 3.5% pay increase after weeks of talks.

In an April 1 statement, the association said the government could still avert the strike by returning to negotiations with a “credible offer” on pay and working conditions.

“We remain willing and available to re-enter negotiations, but we are not willing to risk locking in further pay erosion,” the BMA said.

It added that the government changed its position on pay at the last moment, leaving doctors with “no option but to make ourselves heard from the picket line.”

National Health Service England urged patients not to delay seeking care during the strike period.

“This strike is expected to be particularly challenging due to the shorter notice period,” it said Monday.