Doctors on the Isle of Man have announced that they will strike two days later this month.
The medics will walk out on January 22 and 23, saying, Manx Care has failed to make an “acceptable offer that gives doctors fairer pay, like their mainland counterparts”.
The British Medical Association says the doctors are asking for a 12.6% uplift in pay for the 23/24 pay year.
The action will begin at 7am on Wednesday January 22 and end at 7am on Friday January 24.
On the strike days, doctors will operate under “Christmas day cover”, so while emergency care will still be available for those who need it, many services will be limited.
Strike
The BMA says it will continue discussions with Manx Care with the hope that they can avert the strike.
In December Isle of Man doctors voted overwhelmingly to support industrial action, with 95% voting yes in a ballot over pay.
Chair of the Isle of Man Medical Society, Dr Prakash Thiagarajan said: “We have no desire to go on strike, but we made clear to Manx Care that this would be the outcome without an acceptable pay offer.
“There’s still time for an offer to be put forward and these strikes averted. Doctors deserve to be paid fairly for the valuable work they do, and the pay cuts we’ve seen over the last decade have become untenable.
“It’s disappointing to find ourselves in this position, but the solution is clear: restore our lost pay.”
Prof Phil Banfield, Chair of the BMA added: “The BMA stands behind Isle of Man doctors as they make the historic decision to go out on strike for the very first time. I’ve heard from doctors on the Isle of Man how badly they wanted to avoid industrial action, but they have been placed in an impossible situation.
“We trust that Manx Care see how serious this issue is, and act quickly to provide Isle of Man doctors with a credible pay offer that can avert strike action and values the expertise that doctors bring to the health and well-being of the island.”
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