New strike movements faces from today the Britainwhich are affecting both hospitals, where qualified doctors are expected to stop work for the first time in ten years, and train travel, where train drivers are going on strike.

The country, which is facing a serious cost of living crisis, has been hit for months by strike action in health, transport, education, postal sectors etc..

Workers are demanding pay rises to tackle inflation, which, although falling, remained the highest among G7 countries at 7.9% in June.

After the nurses, the ambulance crews, the trainee doctors, it is the turn of the qualified, who are the most experienced doctors, to go on strike in England’s hospitals. They announced a 48-hour strike starting today at 07:00 local time (09:00 Greek time).

Hospital dentists are also participating in the strike.

Postpone appointment

The public health service, the NHS, has reached its limits. After years of austerity treatment and the COVID-19 pandemic, access to care is becoming increasingly complex.

According to a BBC investigation released yesterday, Wednesday, children need to wait up to 18 months for dental treatments that require anesthesia, including tooth extractions.

The five-day strike until last Tuesday by trainee doctors caused the postponement of tens of thousands of appointments. This shortage of specialists is expected to cause even bigger problems, the NHS has warned.

In eight months of strike action, a total of over 600,000 medical appointments, according to Stephen Powis, NHS Chief Medical Officer. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to get services back on track after every strike,” he noted.

The government has proposed a 6% increase for qualified doctors this year.

However, according to the union BMA (British Medical Association), in real terms this proposal amounts to a pay cut.

“My door is always open to discuss non-pay issues, but this proposal is final and I am therefore calling on the BMA to end these strikes immediately,” Health Secretary Steve Barclay said in a statement.

On July 13, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called on public sector unions to end strike action and accept the government’s final offer of a raise, ranging from 5% to 7% depending on the sector. The teachers therefore announced the suspension of their agitations following the offer of a 6.5% increase.

Engine drivers

The train drivers union RMTwho have multiplied their mobilizations for a year, are also going on strike today, while the school holidays begin.

Rail services have predicted that today, after July 22 and 29, there will be “little or no services across much of the network”. The Aslef trade union has also started strike actions since July 17, which are expected to last until Saturday.