The strength of feeling of anger within the healthcare profession is so strong that those not planning to take industrial action are reluctant to speak out. I want the public and my colleagues to know that I will be at work, not because I support the new contract, but because I do not support striking at this point in time.<\/p>\n
My reasons lie in the principles of “Just War” ethics. Industrial action is a form of conflict. I do not have space to go into the theory in full, but will highlight the areas I feel we contravene.<\/p>\n
Jus ad bellum<\/em>\u00a0“the right to go to war.” Going to war (or striking) should be a last resort and proportional. Strike action is neither of these. Until every person striking has written to Jeremy Hunt and their MP or unless we attempt industrial non-strike action e.g. working to rule or intentionally\u00a0breaching patients in A&E, we have not reached a last resort. The acceleration of action to a full walk out in the middle of winter is too aggressive and as such not proportional.<\/p>\n