A rising controversy over pay has put the British Medical Association (BMA) under scrutiny for perceived hypocrisy, as its own administrative staff threaten to strike while resident NHS doctors in England begin a five-day walkout with the union’s backing. The Guardian reports that talks between the BMA and the GMB union, which represents about three-quarters of the BMA’s internal staff, did not yield a resolution on Tuesday. This push has the potential to trigger a strike among clerical and administrative workers within the health union in the new year.
GMB sources indicate that ballots are being prepared to gauge member support for industrial action. The BMA, citing “extremely challenging financial constraints,” contends it is already offering above-market pay rates. Meanwhile, negotiations with the government faced a second setback when a separate negotiating team could not reach an agreement with Health Secretary Wes Streeting on the pay demands of resident doctors.
Resident doctors—formerly known as junior doctors—make up nearly half of NHS physicians and began their strike action on Wednesday, planning to stay off duty until 7:00 a.m. on Monday. This marks the 14th strike by resident doctors since March 2023.
GMB has branded the BMA’s stance as hypocritical. The union formalized a dispute in November after the BMA proposed a pay rise below inflation of 2%. At the same time, the BMA had criticized the government for offering doctors a 2.5% raise. GMB argues that, since 2012, BMA staff have endured about 17% pay erosion due to years of pay awards that lagged inflation.
A survey of GMB members working at the BMA showed that over 91% would support industrial action. The BMA has reportedly offered little substantive movement aside from a consolidated 2% pay rise and a few minor enhancements, according to GMB. Specifically, the union notes an increase in non-consolidated payments from £1,250 to £1,500 and an extra day off at Christmas.
The BMA counters that the overall cash impact of its offer ranges from 3.2% to 16.31%, with the extra days off adding roughly another 1.2%. GMB disputes these calculations, arguing that they conflate consolidated and non-consolidated pay—terms the BMA is unlikely to apply to doctors’ earnings.
GMB spokespersons have argued that real-terms pay increases are only about 1.90% to 1.98% compared with total pay in 2025. The spokesperson quipped that it’s disappointing to see BMA management framing Christmas days off as a percentage pay value and suggested the organization’s leadership may be out of touch with workers’ realities. They reaffirmed their commitment to securing a credible offer that truly reflects inflation and addresses long-standing pay erosion, just as resident doctors are pursuing for their own compensation.
BMA chief executive Rachel Podolak defended the organization’s position, stating that the association is offering “above market rates for comparable organizations,” even as it faces budget pressures. She emphasized that, amid difficult finances, the BMA has worked to enhance the offer, delivering an in-year uplift for 2026 and adding non-salary benefits aimed at improving work-life balance and overall staff wellbeing.
