The British Medical Association is facing a walk-out by some of its own staff after allegations that it had underpaid advisers who had been brought in-house under TUPE regulations.

According to the GMB union, which represents the workers, the BMA has refused to recognise their external length of service, meaning they are being placed on lower salary bands. About 40 advisers are involved in the dispute.

The GMB said it had lodged a formal dispute with the doctors’ union, and that 91% of affected staff had pledged support for a strike if necessary in an indicative ballot.

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The advisers have accused the union of “forgetting its principles”, in reference to the repeated strikes staged by the BMA over pay for junior doctors in the NHS, until a deal was agreed by ministers in September.

The BMA said the staff members had received substantial pay increases of up to 15% and improved benefits as a result of being transferred.

Gavin Davies, a senior organiser at GMB, said: “The BMA proudly declares itself a trade union, but it seems to have forgotten its principles when dealing with its staff.

“We are calling on BMA management to commit to paying their staff fairly and recognising their years of dedication to the union.

“These workers support members every day in taking their employers to task but instead of recognising their valuable work, the BMA is refusing to reward their years of service.

“If the BMA does not put a better deal on the table, we are prepared to ballot our members for industrial action.”

A BMA spokesperson said: “We are working closely with our GMB staff representatives to resolve their remaining concerns, which we hope to conclude soon. We have carefully followed the TUPE legislation – the law that protects employees’ rights when their business transfers to a new owner – to create sustainable and permanent positions within the BMA, for staff who have moved across from the outsourced provider.”

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