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Defend Karen Reissman
Defend free speech and trade union rights
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Manchester mental health workers on strike, photo Christian Bunke |
Manchester mental health workers have taken over two weeks' strike action to defend their sacked union rep Karen Reissman. Accused of 'bringing the trust into disrepute' by speaking out against mismanagement, Karen is a victim of union-busting as the NHS is dismantled and privatised.
Hugh Caffrey, Manchester Socialist Party
Trust bosses want to make £3 million-worth of cuts to mental health, which will mean job losses and a worse service. But money is no object when it comes to strike-breaking. Private hospital beds are being paid for by Manchester primary care trust!
Workers' action in January defeated attempts to cut the number of mental health teams and staff and pushed back attempts at privatisation.
Without campaigning unions, the bosses would victimise the entire working class through poverty pay, cutting public services, etc. When workers fight back, the bosses try to victimise union representatives. This is currently true in the NHS, the Royal Mail, local government, and many private-sector industries.
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Manchester mental health workers on strike, photo Christian Bunke |
Every trade unionist and the wider working class needs to mobilise in support of Manchester's mental health strikers.
For New Labour though it's a different question. Minister for mental health Ivan Lewis refused to even discuss the case. Manchester's Labour council health spokesman described the strike as "cruel… not justifiable… indefensible… a despicable act" (Manchester Evening News 15 November).
Why is Unison, the trade union representing thousands of health workers, still giving money to this rabble? The link to New Labour has bought Unison members nothing, except inaction by union leaders more worried about upsetting the government than about defending their members.
Karen and the strikers have huge support from workers in and beyond the health service. Mobilising this support can put huge pressure on the trust. Socialist Party members and others have argued for a day of action to be announced on the 24 November demonstration.
Calling for supporters at every hospital and even more widely, to mount protests on a date in the near future would get a huge echo. Should the trust still not budge, the ground could be further prepared for wider action and possibly a national demonstration.
While strikers have taken the lead, Unison officials have been extremely slow in publicising the strike, especially the 24 November demonstration. Is this the Labour link at work again? To ensure their colossal support is mobilised, strikers will have to continue taking the lead.
Management are, at the time of writing, still trying to sit out the dispute. A swift victory could be won by continuing solid strike action, and solidarity protests against the trust bosses and their cronies.
Through this can also be built solidarity between all those fighting to save the NHS, and workers fighting to defend their democratic and trade union rights.
For more information see: www.reinstate-karen.org, or Union office, Chorlton House, 70 Manchester Rd., M21 9UN.
Solidarity meetings: every Monday, 6-7.30pm, Mechanics Institute, Princess Street, city centre.
No more money for New Labour, join the Campaign for a New Workers' Party, www.cnwp.org.uk; PO Box 858, London, E11 1YG.
Demonstration, Saturday 24 November.
Assemble 1pm, Peace Gardens, behind Manchester town hall.
Donate to the Socialist Party
Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
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