BMA accused of hypocrisy for slashing pay of staff while demanding 35% raise for members 

The British Medical Association has been accused of hypocrisy for slashing the pay of its own staff while demanding a 35 per cent rise for its members.

The medical union wants taxpayers to fund higher salaries for striking doctors.

But it has cut the pay of its own workers by around a fifth in real terms since 2011 and has said it needs to consider its ‘financial constraints’ before agreeing to a rise.

Doctors are campaigning to restore their pay to 2008 levels, saying it is unfair to expect them do the same job for less.

But the BMA staff supporting their activities claim they are also being undervalued.

The BMA workforce is represented by the GMB union, which is seeking ‘pay restoration’ to 2011 levels, when its current pay system was put in place.

It says those on lower salaries have seen their income eroded by 18.4 per cent and those on higher salaries by 15 per cent.

Sources suggest the BMA and GMB will agree a deal next week. Conservative MP Paul Bristow said: ‘They demand taxpayers fork out for increases of 35 per cent, but cut pay for their staff. This strike is all about politics.’