DOCTORS would be banned from striking under a Tory proposal to cripple their “out of control” union.
Kemi Badenoch has pledged new laws forbidding the medics from taking industrial action, bringing them into line with soldiers and police officers.
Junior doctors are holding a five-day strikeAlamy
Kemi Badenoch has pledged to ban doctors from striking
The British Medical Association has caused major disruption with a five-day junior doctor walkout that started last Friday.
Today the head of the NHS braced patients for six months of “snowballing” strikes as rows over pay intensify.
As well as a ban on doctor strikes, Ms Badenoch would also introduce minimum staffing levels when other healthcare staff take action.
She said: “The BMA has become militant, these strikes are going too far, and it is time for action.
“These strikes will have a significant economic effect, but they will also mean cancelled operations, worry for families of the sick, and suffering for those who are unwell.
“We know that previous strike action by doctors even led to some patients losing their lives.”
The BMA is demanding an eye-watering 29 per cent pay rise on top of the 22 per cent they took last year.
Union boss Tom Dolphin defended the action despite more than half his members earning more than £70,000.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has refused to budge on pay and instead offered talks on working conditions, which were rebuffed by the BMA.
Ambulance workers have also rejected their pay offer from the government, risking them also walking out.
Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, told The Sunday Times: “We know that continued disruption over the coming months could see a snowball effect for patients and for staff.
“We’ve seen that before and it has taken a huge effort over the last year to build momentum back up on reducing waiting lists and times.”
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