Junior doctors stage walkout, rally in Northern Ireland to demand pre-2008 pay levels

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Hundreds of junior doctors in Northern Ireland rallied in front of the parliament buildings, known as Stormont, in the capital Belfast on Thursday, calling for immediate action to restore their salaries to pre-2008 levels and increase them in line with current inflation rates.

The demonstration coincides with the beginning of a 48-hour complete strike by junior doctors in Northern Ireland, who walked out of their respective hospitals and general practitioner surgeries from Wednesday to Friday in their ongoing battle for a fair pay deal.

Dr. Fiona Griffin, chair of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) Northern Ireland junior doctors committee, emphasized the critical nature of the rally.

"Today’s rally is about showing those in power that we need urgent action now on our pay asks if they are serious about saving and future-proofing the health service as we know it. We are extremely disappointed that this latest 48-hour walkout could not be averted, but there has still not been any progress in our pay negotiations," she said in a statement.

She highlighted the indispensable role of junior doctors in the health care system and the negative impact of sustained pay that is below inflation.

"The health service cannot function without junior doctors, and yet years of below-inflation or non-existent pay awards – and the fact that we have still yet to be paid the minimum DDRB-recommended pay award for the last financial year – is a continual reminder to us that we are simply not valued for the complex and skilled work we undertake," she explained referring to the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration by its initials.

"Morale has never been lower, and more of us are choosing to leave Northern Ireland to work elsewhere for better pay and conditions," she underlined.

The junior doctors are urging the new health minister to take decisive action to resolve the ongoing pay dispute.

Junior doctors, ranging from newly qualified doctors earning less than £13 per hour to experienced surgeons, oncologists, and cardiologists earning £30 per hour, went on strike on March 6, following a 97.6% 'yes' vote in favor of industrial action for full pay restoration.

This is the second 48-hour full walkout following pay talks with Department of Health officials that failed to make any progress toward restoring pay to pre-2008 levels.

The BMA notes that junior doctors' pay has eroded by over 30% in Northern Ireland since 2008, a decline that has exacerbated recruitment and retention issues within the healthcare system.

As the rally unfolds in front of Stormont, the junior doctors' message is clear: without urgent and meaningful pay restoration, the future of Northern Ireland’s health service remains uncertain.