The Scottish Socialist Party and RISE: Scotland’s Left Alliance sends its best wishes to junior Doctors in England and teachers in West Dunbartonshire on strike today in opposition to cuts and a reduction in the vital services they deliver to the public.
We realise they would prefer to be at their work delivering the quality care and professional support they usually do at this time but have been pushed into strike action as a last resort.
Some 37,000 junior doctors, members of the British Medical Association, have stopped work for 24 hours in protest at Tory Government plans to impose punitive new working conditions upon them which leave them feeling overworked and undervalued.
We wish them every success in their dispute.
[Junior doctors in Scotland are not affected as they are employed by NHS Scotland funded from Holyrood.]
Teachers at 5 secondary schools in West Dunbartonshire are to be similarly supported in their efforts to halt a deterioration in educational provision there. The Labour Council’s plan to cut the number of deputy heads, principals and pastoral care posts, driven by financial cuts, is a poor one. This local authority is one of Scotland’s poorest and children here clearly deserve improved educational opportunities not an inferior one.
The Scottish Socialist Party and RISE are proud to stand alongside public sector professionals defending vital services.