Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael
But the real fact is the BMA sat back and let this happen, they knew this since last year when accommodation was withdrawn. They even knew this year when the DDRB report was being held back due to bad news and now they wait till were about to sign contracts before kicking up a stink? were due to start in about 9 weeks, due you honestly think the government is going to U-turn over this or increase our pay? dreamland. My trust has already sent out accomodation stuff wanting £360 a month! whereas some people staying in this deanery are only being charged £180!
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People seem to have this wierd preconception that unless BMA reps are starting fires in the streets or on the 9 o'clock news that the BMA is doing nothing. And then when they are people complain that it's too little too late!
Accomodation was withdrawn at the start of this year when the medical act was amended (without consultation and against prior negotiation). NHS Employers refused to negotiate with the BMA, so their only option was to make a submission to the DDRB requesting an uplift in pay.
No-one knew what the DDRB report was going to contain before it came out, but nontheless there was already a 'plan B' - the issue was debated at the medical students annual conference, which is where the ideas of co-ordinated national protests and 'sleep in tent' protests came up in the first place.
Is it working? Well, yes. Last time I looked over 60 MPs had signed an Early Day motion in parliament demanding that NHS employers re-negotiate with the BMA. The protests so far have recieved masses of press coverage and MPs have been simply flooded with letters from their constituents.
The BMA knows they cocked up over MTAS and they're really straightened their act out this year - please get your facts straight before indulging in armchair criticism, because there's one thing that's certain - if the government wants to undermine doctors as a profession, taking apart the trade unions is by far the easiest way.
(oh and just to add - Remedy UK haven't done anything whatsoever on this issue!)