As large numbers of people took to London today to protest against austerity, I was at a local demonstration against a particular manifestation of the government's political and economic agenda: NHS cuts.
This comes, of course, the week before junior doctors withdraw their labour entirely, the first time doctors have taken industrial action of this sort in the history of the NHS. The immediate cause of the dispute are new contracts, which will disadvantage junior doctors financially and push them into working exhausting and unsafe hours. The issues are explained here. In the face of the misinformation being spread about the doctors and their demands by the government and their friends in the media, it is vital that the BMA's case is given publicity. If you feel able, challenge criticism of the strike when you hear it. The previous link is to a PDF of a BMA leaflet. You could print and distribute this.
The misinformation and attacks will be stepped up as the strike moves towards a greater intensity. Striking doctors will feel vulnerable and exposed. At this point, expressions of support and solidarity will matter: these really can make the difference between someone persisting with the action and their giving up. Find a local picket line and support it. Even going for a few minutes can make a difference. Having been a striker on a picket line myself, it really was incredibly heartening to know that people outside my workplace were behind us. Talk to strikers, bring food, coffee, whatever - above all, go.
Support from the Labour Party, locally and nationally, has been patchy. If this improves it would give political momentum to the doctors' cause, and increase the pressure on the government. If you're a member of a Labour or trade union branch pass a motion in support of the strike. Write to local Labour MPs and (politely) ask them to get behind the action. Here is a lightly adapted version of a motion passed by a CLP in Sheffield that you could use in your own context:
The NHS is being dismantled as a comprehensive, national, public service by this government, through both underfunding, marketisation and privatisation despite the NHS having proved itself as an efficient, successful and hugely popular model of healthcare.
The junior doctors dispute, together with the campaign to save NHS student bursaries, gives us an opportunity to step up our role in the fight to save the NHS.
This branch/ CLP resolves:
- To support the junior doctors and NHS students, making links locally and visiting pickets lines and protests.
- [To support (LOCAL NHS CAMPAIGN)]
- To call on the party nationally to sharpen its stance on the NHS and clearly commit to reversing privatisation and marketisation and rebuilding a comprehensive, well funded publicly owned, run and provided NHS, based on meeting clinical need. Any integration of Health and Social care should be contingent on social care becoming a free, publicly funded and provided, service.
- To call on the party nationally to raise its profile on these issues, sending Jeremy Corbyn to address mass meetings on the NHS around the country and organising a national demonstration to save and rebuild the NHS.
