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Thousands of junior doctors go on strike across England

Xinhua, January 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Thousands of junior doctors in England on Tuesday began a 24-hour strike over pay and working hours disputes with Britain's health authorities.

The strike is the first industrial action by British junior doctors in nearly 40 years.

Thousands of hospital operations and procedures have been affected by the walkout, which began at 8 a.m. local time.

A total of 37,000 of the 45,000 junior doctors in England took part in a vote in November last year and 98 percent of them voted for action.

British government wanted to establish a "seven-day NHS" and proposed to introduce a new work contract for junior doctors, who believe the new contract would reduce protections for them.

The British Medical Association (BMA), the trade union and professional association for doctors and medical students in Britain, had tried to negotiate a new contract for junior doctors with the government, but the talks failed to reach an agreement. Endit