UK Doctors Strike Over Pay, Job Shortages

0:00On April 7th, resident doctors across the U.K. kicked off a six-day strike this morning at 7 a.m., with tens of thousands hitting picket lines over. Pay disputes and job shortages. These frontline workers, once called junior doctors, turned down a government deal that health secretary West's streetings said would leave them, 35.2% better off than four years back. Strikes like this have already drained 3 billion pounds from the NHS over the last three years, enough to fund 1.5 million operations, or build three new hospitals. This week's action alone could cost 300 million pounds with the service shelling out 50 million pounds a day and paying consultants up to 313 pounds an hour to fill gaps. NHS leaders call it a tough hit, especially right after the Easter Bank holiday, forcing thousands of appointments and procedures to get postponed. Still, they're telling patients to show up as usual unless contacted otherwise, while bosses scramble to keep 95% of planned care.

1:01Running. Talks broke down after the British Medical Association rejected a 4.9% pay bump and 1,000 new training spots, which are now. Scrap this too pricey and logistically impossible post strike. Streeting blasted the union for intransigence. During their 28.9% gains already make them top public sector winners and worn full demands could balloon to 30 billion pounds yearly. Even as resident doctors dig in, BMA staff are on their own 48 hour walk out and more ballots loom for senior medics. Things bowing to shield patients in the NHS from max disruption, pushing for real talks once lines clear.