Karen Reissmann: Appeal Result Expected Today

Today's the day when we should hear the result of senior mental health nurse Karen Reissmann's appeal against dismissal on charges of "gross industrial misconduct".

Reissmann is Chair of her Unison branch and member of the NEC of Unison Health. She was suspended for speaking out against privatisation and marketisation. In particular on changes in deployment of community mental health nurses and social workers. And on the increased cost and consequent shortage of acute beds.

Martin Rathfelder, Director of the Socialist Health Association, has pointed out in strong terms that Reissmann's statements have been no more critical than those within Primary Care Trust/Manchester City Council documents.

Victimisation for Trade Union activity is unlawful. If the appeal is unsuccessful there will be an Industrial or Employment Tribunal. The estimated cost of this would be £100,000. There is no limit to damages that could be awarded.

If it comes to this it will be the first point in the procedure when Trust Chief Sheila Foley (left) has not been in effect complainant, prosecution, judge and now jury picker.

Reissmann has received vocal support from Labour's Tony Lloyd MP, from Rathfelder, and from West Didsbury council candidate Jenny Lennox. There are also reports of strong "below the line" support in writing from Manchester Withington PPC Lucy Powell and support even from Health Minister Ivan Lewis.

PREVIOUS LOL COVERAGE: Here.

Sitting on the Fence?: Childish, Lazy & Unfriendly

Walking by Karen Reissmann's picket at the Chorlton HQ of the Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust (MMHT) this morning I saw my old friend Dr Colin Barker, flashed him a smile and asked after his health. "How are you?" I inquired. "Not sitting on the fence!" he responded. "Ever so clever", I thought. But "Oh dear" I said quietly as I continued on my way.

Seems that 100% support for Karen Reissmann's reinstatement is not enough for some people? 100% condemnation of the management's industrial relations clumsiness, their ridiculous semantics, their self-defeating tactics, and their leaders' "Duty Free" holiday in Dubai. That's not enough?

UPDATE: Karen Reissmann will not be sitting on the fence on local radio in Manchester this evening.

Karen Reissmann Sacking: Management Play Hard Ball

Industrial relations for dummies has a new chapter provided by Trust CEO Sheila Foley.

Miles reports that MMHT management have refused to reinstate senior nurse Karen Reissmann pending her appeal. Unison had offered to call off their strike action in exchange.

The appeal begins on 10 December and there will be a national day of action on 5 December. My view is that the staff should consider going back to work in the interim, showing maturity, carrying public opinion, and reducing hardship among members. But that is of course for them to decide.

In addition to the campaign blog there is a myspace page and two major facebook groups with 900 members between them.

Mental Health Managers: Madness From Start to Finish

When we pay a good whack to NHS management we have a right to expect that they (a) have a bit of nous and (b) have GCSE level or better Industrial Relations. Today the bizarre case of Karen Reissmann (right) and the Mental Health Trust she works for, based just 200 yards from the House of Love in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, took a new twist.

First, they PROMOTED her. She is a good nurse after all, with around 25 years experience.
Second, they SUSPENDED her on full pay.
Bizarrely these two events were ON THE SAME DAY.

And then Third, today, following a second three day disciplinary hearing they have SACKED her for "gross misconduct".

The offence? Speaking out locally - as a senior Unison activist - about the possible detrimental effects of specific reorganisation, and of cuts and marketisation in general, on her patients and her members.

The cure? Management suspended Karen. This in effect sent her out and about, at public expense, on a speaking tour on the matters that concerned her. Garnering great media interest. Almost 1000 hits on Google.

This really is a "boss" way of silencing or containing a "whistle blower"! There have been 14 days of strikes to date. A further strike is due to start on Thursday and continue until reinstatement.

Sheila Foley, Chief Executive told the Manchester evening News:

"All the way through this matter we have followed the correct processes. I have listened to all the evidence for six days and I have weighed up that evidence and made my decision.
"I do believe this is the right decision to take and is being taken in the best interest of the Trust and the patients we care for. Dismissal is not a decision taken lightly, is very rare and only taken when there are very serious concerns."

The Mental Health Trust Ms Foley commands – which is ranked as one of the worst in Britain, and is currently £3 million in debt – has also come in for criticism from relatives of William Scott (right with daughter Emma), a patient who died after disruption to his care.

Clearly there will be an appeal and very likely an Industrial Tribunal. Clearly Karen Reissmann will lose and win these respectively. Clearly bosses will pay any fines and exemplary damages and consider it a good bargain. Just as bosses at local college Mancat did after losing an IT on the "Mancat Five".

Madness from start to finish. Meanwhile a health whistle blower who does deserve immediate dismissal, after claiming a popular hospital was threatened with closure, is still at large in Westminster and South Manchester.

Karen Reissmann: BBC, Two Hundred Manchester March

Managed to get through last night's excellent Alistair Campbell Dinner and Voter Identification in icy Northenden this morning. But severe earache kept me away from town for today's Karen Reissmann demonstration.

Miles has given his take on that dinner and these - also from Miles - were yesterday's news links on this story:

Socialist health campaigner backs Karen: see post and documents at the campaign blog http://karenreissmann.wordpress.com/

Bosses big gun fires blanks: See the blog on the campaign myspace.

Join the debate at Manchester Confidential.

And there are some comments on Miles' earlier post that he found "interesting.

Channel 4 Shameless auteur Paul Abbott - who was himself sectioned aged 15 following a suicide attempt - has added a heartfelt letter of support to the campaign blog.

The North West Tonight report stated that Karen's Appeal Hearing has been brought forward one week. This is very welcome news. The sooner the better.

UPDATE: The Campaign MySpace estimate is well over 1000 involved in all and there is a report of a speech from my MP Tony Lloyd - the Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party no less - and actor Chris Bisson reading Paul Abbott's letter of support.

Karen Reissmann: Appeal Result is NO to Reinstatement

Karen Reissmann has NOT been reinstated on appeal. Rally tomorrow. Miles Barter has details at Action Without Theory.

Karen Reissmann: Carry On Mental Health Nursing

Karen Reissmann's appeal began this morning. She is a Mental Health Nurse who has been sacked for "gross industrial misconduct" over speaking out as a Trade Unionist. In other words illegal victimisation. She must be reinstated.

Ultimate Trust boss and duty-free bag shopper Sheila Foley whose contract runs only to the end of the financial year is not involved in the appeal hearing, expected to last four days, and instead involving three non-Exec members of the Trust.

Action Without Theory: Industrial Relations For Dummies

Bro Miles Barter has got busy these last few days. And as he's apologised for his pissiness, accepted, I'll give him a mensch. Two in fact. Special mentions for Mental Health Talking Cures and greeting the "tanned but strained" (below, tagged sheila-compressed!) Boss From Hell back from holidays in the sun.
Several collective letters-to-papers on this Karen Reissmann dispute have crossed my desk. Whether my name ends up on one or not I hope the letters focus on turning things round for the service users above all else. For my money this dispute possibly features the most ridiculousness ... on all sides ... ever. It is the epitome of ridiculousness. Clearly LOL support any Trade Unionist sacked or disciplined for TU activity. My comrades, right or wrong. KR Dispute Blog. DUBAI DUTY FREE ADDED: Weds 9:26

RESPECT Coalition: Delivering Victory for Conservatives

Karen Reissmann incidentally is a member of the SWP and of Respect. While anyone sacked essentially for being a Trade Unionist deserves reinstatement and solidarity the likes of this crew can make that difficult.

On 26 October Respect took 102 votes (6.5%) in a local government by-election in Harlow. This put them third, some 600 votes off the pace, claiming to be the cause of a Conservative win over Labour by 15 votes.

Apparently this is "putting down roots in Harlow". And there's more. Helping a Tory win a seat Labour have held for 40 years is it seems a great victory for "Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community & Trade Unionism".

Word Up: Attila for Karen at the Famous Embassy Club

Comrade Miles Barter has worded me up on a poetific happening at the North Manchester home of socialist poetry and song itself:

Attila the Stockbroker, punk rock poet and radical
songsmith plays Bernard Manning's old club in a
benefit for the Reinstate Karen Reissmann strike fund.

Sunday 2 December, doors open 7.30pm, Embassy Club,
Rochdale Road, Harpurhey, Manchester.

Admission on door £5 waged, £2 unwaged, free to strikers.
Please pass it on.

The picture is by Robina Baine and I do hope that she and Miles and Attila will forgive me for using it without permission. Oh, it's alright - a permit has come through, and for you all too.