In advance of the latest round of strike action by the junior doctors, we publish here a letter by NHS staff and students who call for maximum unity in the fight against the Tories’ attacks. In addition, we publish a motion calling on the Labour Party to show their full support for the junior doctors’ struggle.
In advance of the latest round of strike action by the junior doctors, NHS staff and students from across the country have published a letter in the Mirror urging all health workers to join the National Demonstration for ‘Health, Homes, Jobs & Education‘ on Saturday 16 April 2016.
In addition, trade unionists and Labour Party members can show their support for the junior doctors’ strike by passing the motion below in their branch and CLP meetings.
Finally, see below for a video talk of Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis of the BMA’s Junior Doctors Committee National Executive, who discusses the issues at stake in the junior doctors’ struggle.
- Support the junior doctors!
- Defend the NHS!
- Join the march against austerity!
“Safeguard these services for the future use of the many not just the few”
Letter by NHS staff and students
Over the last five years the Conservative Party’s relentless austerity drive has eroded the welfare state and as NHS workers our ability to provide good quality care to the millions who rely on our services is being hampered.
Recent governments have targeted the NHS for cuts and “reform” in order to mould it into an institution primarily geared to serve private sector interests. Deliberate underfunding, as well as the recent attack on the working conditions of junior doctors, threatens patient care and the long term sustainability of the NHS.
Furthermore, the Government’s proposed scrapping of NHS student bursaries will limit the healthcare professions only to those who can fund their own training.
Our public services must be preserved for the welfare of all who need them and we ask everyone to join the demonstration in London called by the People’s Assembly Against Austerity on April 16 in the march for Health, Homes, Jobs and Education. Only by working together will we have the means to resist these attacks effectively and to safeguard these services for the future use of the many not just the few.
Yannis Gourtsoyannis, BMA Junior Doctor Committee
Mona Kamal, Junior Doctor
Danielle Tiplady, Student Nurse & NHS Bursary Cuts Forum
Labour: support the junior doctors’ strike!
Motion of support for junior doctors
We, Labour Party members and affiliated trade unionists, welcome the support Labour has given the junior doctors’ struggle. We want that to be stepped up. We want strong, clear and public Labour support for the junior doctors, and the wider fight to save the National Health Service from dismemberment and privatisation.
At this crucial time for the junior doctors’ dispute, Labour should work with the BMA, the TUC and trade unions to organise a national demonstration in support of their struggle, to save the NHS bursary, and to renationalise the NHS and reinstate a comprehensive, fully public, fully funded health service.
The party and the PLP should give full support to the NHS Bill to reverse privatisation when it returns to Parliament on March 11.
Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis from the BMA speaking at our Not Without A Fight NHS Rally on Wednesday. He said, ‘We hold in our hands the fuse that could potentially ignite the wider health worker movement in a common defence of the NHS.’ Lets light the fuse… the People’s Assembly stands with you.
Posted by The People’s Assembly Against Austerity on Friday, 19 February 2016
