Outrage at the sacking of psychiatric nurse Karen Reissmann for speaking out against cuts and privatisation of mental health services continues to be a cause of acute embarrassment for health bosses in Manchester.
The RMT rail union held a symbolic funeral outside London’s City Hall on Thursday of last week for the East London tube line – which is due to shut down this Saturday and reopen in 2010 managed by a private consortium. The privatisation plans are being pushed through by London mayor Ken Livingstone.
Campaigners across Britain have vowed to keep up the fight for Karen Reissmann, the leading health trade unionist from Manchester who has been victimised for fighting cuts and privatisation.
On 5 November I was sacked after 25 years from the job I loved as a community psychiatric nurse. Three days later 150 community mental health workers went on strike indefinitely for my reinstatement.
Trade unionists and health campaigners from across Britain demonstrated in Manchester on Saturday of last week to demand the reinstatement of nurse Karen Reissmann, who was sacked last month for speaking out against cuts and privatisation.
Evidence that the government plans to extend the privatisation of the NHS emerged last week, just as health secretary Alan Johnson was telling the media that many private contracts were to be withdrawn.
Some 68 percent of members in the PCS civil service workers’ union voted to back strike action in the union’s long-running battle over job cuts, pay and privatisation.
