Mental health workers on strike in Manchester
Vital mental health workers in Manchester returned to picket lines this week for three days of strikes from Monday.
Strikers are demanding that NHS commissioners properly fund the services they provide—and stop putting vulnerable people at risk. The Unison and Unite union members work for Manchester Early Intervention in Psychosis teams.
Strikers include nurses, psychologists, social workers, support workers, welfare rights workers, CBT therapists and employment specialists.
From the picket line, Unite rep and clinical psychologist Dr John Mulligan told Socialist Worker why the long-running dispute is continuing.
“It’s approaching six months, and we’re still out striking,” he said. “Nobody seems to be listening to our request for funding to appropriately support our mental health services.
“The biggest and most important reason to strike is that we’ve got 43,800 people dying unnecessarily every year in England.
“Nobody’s doing anything about it. The most forward-thinking plans they’ve got is to start measuring the physical health deterioration of our service users.
“In 2025, that’s an absolute disgrace.”
Picket lines were buoyed with lots of local supporters, including many service users who described the vital role that early intervention can play.
Dozens of infection control workers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals in central London walked out on strike for five days on Monday of this week.
The Unite union members perform “ultra cleans” in hospital areas that cover the most highly infectious diseases.
Workers are furious after bosses refused their demands for decent facilities. The majority of the workforce are from ethnic minorities and are on the lowest NHS pay grade.
Not only have management refused to improve rest facilities at both hospitals, but they are also refusing to engage with the union about the use of harmful chemicals.
The strike will mean potential infectious sections, rooms and wards will have to close because of a lack of cleaning. Unite regional officer Tabusam Ahmed said, “Our members are rightly furious about the situation they’ve found themselves in.
“Working all times of day and night in dangerous and unpleasant environments to keep hospitals clean and safe of the most infectious and contagious diseases.
“And yet they are told they aren’t valued and that they cannot have access to rest facilities of a decent standard.”
NHS bosses are treating essential workers—and Covid heroes—with disdain.
Health workers set to strike across four Manchester hospitals
Bus workers rejected an offer and came back out
Deadline to accept new conditions approaches
