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Mental health workers to strike again

06/11/2007

Around 160 mental health workers are to go on strike again following the dismissal of a union official.

From Thursday, Manchester psychiatric workers will strike for an indefinite period to protest against the sacking of Karen Reissmann.

The Unison official was suspended in June after she was accused of bringing the Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust into disrepute and was found guilty this week of gross misconduct.

Unison believes that Ms Reissmann was suspended and dismissed because she voiced concerns about NHS staff cuts.

Union spokesman Andy Gill told the BBC: "Unison will be appealing against the dismissal in accordance with the trust's procedures. We will use all legal means open to us to get this decision overturned."

This is the fourth time since June that mental health workers, who provide community care for 1,000 seriously-ill psychiatric patients, have walked out.

The health trust said it has contingency plans in place to deal with the imminent strike.