Manc health strike

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#1
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ftony
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Jan 29 2007 09:30
Manc health strike

thought this may be of interest to some people:

Manchester Community and Mental Health Branch

Union office, Chorlton House, 70 Manchester Rd, Chorlton, Manchester M21 2
UN.

Press release - Monday 29th January

NHS workers to strike 31st January

250 employees of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust will take
their first day’s strike on Wednesday January 31st. This follows a 91.6%
ballot result in favour of strike action.

The strike action will be taken by 250 community nurses, occupational
therapists and team secretaries to stop the cuts in community mental health
teams which include:

reduction in staffing numbers in community mental health teams and
consequent higher caseloads, and a reduction in service to keep people well
job freeze on all nursing posts in the Trust as there will be 33 less
nursing posts and 8 less OT posts (yet they can afford an expansion of 24
extra managers at a cost of £1.25million!!)
downgrading of most nursing, occupational therapy and admin staff,
possibilities of complusory redundancies,
possible privatisation of four community teams,
closure of one of the south Manchester old age day centres and 7day support
team.

There will be picket lines at
Chorlton House, 70 Manchester Rd, Chorlton,
MRI corner of Oxford Rd and Hathersage Rd,
North Manchester general hospital, Delauney Rd, Crumpsall,
Kath Locke health centre, corner of Moss Lane and Alexander Rd, Moss side,
Beech Mount, corner with Rochdale Rd, Harpurhey.

Strikers will assemble for a photo call at 11.45am at the Queen Victoria
statue in Piccadilly before going to a strike rally at 12noon in Central
Methodist Hall, Oldham St, for a joint rally with other strikers out the
same day ie civil servants, Fujitsu workers.

Further information is available from Karen Reissmann, UNISON branch chair
and one of the striking community nurses on 07977 986 179 or from Andy Gill,
UNISON regional officer, UNISON North West Regional office on 0161 211 1000.

Messages of support to karen at reissmann.fsnet.co.uk
or to union office, 70 Manchester Rd, Chorlton, Manchester M21 9UN

#2
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WeTheYouth
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Jan 30 2007 14:27

I will be there, anyone coming?

#3
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the button's picture
the button
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Jan 30 2007 14:32

You might want to break up that e-mail address, ftony, otherwise she'll get spammed to fuck.

admin - done

#4
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Ramona
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Jan 30 2007 14:55

Ooh how exciting. I've emailed them giving support and telling them a bit about the situation in my trust.

#5
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JDMF
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Jan 30 2007 15:22

shit, stuck in a meeting at the time. Will go to the picket lines in the morning though.

the nurses have been out every day at market street getting support. people seem really supportive of this one!

#6
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Refused
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Jan 30 2007 15:26

I'll take them some biscuits.

#7
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Ramona
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Jan 30 2007 15:28

Bring them some cake too smile

#8
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magnifico
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Jan 30 2007 15:32

smile

big up

i sent an email too, wish my unison branch was more like this and less like a wanker in union form sad

#9
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the button's picture
the button
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Jan 31 2007 12:38
magnifico wrote:
wanker in union form

There's a tagline there for someone. Any takers? Chuck?

#10
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Joseph Kay
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Jan 31 2007 13:24

*ponders whether to abuse admin powers*

#11
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the button's picture
the button
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Jan 31 2007 13:25

I'll make it worth your while.

#12
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Joseph Kay's picture
Joseph Kay
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Jan 31 2007 13:34

eek

#13
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Ramona's picture
Ramona
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Jan 31 2007 17:00

I've had an email back from their union rep, after telling her that my trust is having similar problems - apparently their trust has been told that mine is a shining example of the type of service they should be modelling themselves on. Oh the irony.

(I started a thread in organise about the cuts going on in my trust, pretty much the same situation as what these guys are striking over...)

#14
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Steven.
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Feb 2 2007 11:37

picket line reports anyone?

#15
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JDMF's picture
JDMF
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Feb 2 2007 12:22

just visuals of lively and well spirited pickets. I couldn't go to the rally and seems like many of the SolFed comms were not able to.

#16
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JDMF's picture
JDMF
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Feb 2 2007 12:23
JDMF wrote:
just visuals of lively and well spirited pickets.

evidence that i have watched too much 24.

#17
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magnifico
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Feb 21 2007 23:15

This strike went ahead on the day advertised, they then also began a week long strike a few days later. They did two days of it, then were offered some deals which they are currently discussing whilst threateneing to walk out again if they don't get what they want. Here's a report I got from an email list I'm on:

Quote:
Just to up date you all. we had 2 fantastically solid days of strike with huge pickets and then were offered talks at acas. we have suspended strike pending outcome but will return to strike if no change.

thanks++++ for everyone's support so far.This has helped to preserve fantastic level of support for the strike amongst members.

The donations to our strike fund are still very gratefully received as we still need more to be able to pay proper strike pay for the 2 days we have done so far and
may well have to do more. Solidarity really helps.

then some technical stuff re the negotiations which I'm not sure I should put on a public forum. then:

Quote:
We do think this is the only way to beat the unbelievable attacks we are increasingly facing in the NHS. It brought our managers back to the table with some real gains.

Also:

Quote:
The branch name for donations is 'UNISON Manchester Community Health' and send to: Trade Union Office, Chorlton House, 70 Manchester Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 9UN. (which isn't our normal branch address, but is where we
are collecting donations).

The support we have received from other branches has been great, and a real boost to the strikers. Many thanks.

#18
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madashell
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Feb 27 2007 13:44

Is anybody going to this rally on the Saturday?

#19
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Steven.
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Feb 27 2007 13:59

If someone does could they take a photo or two?

also magnifico, would you be able to write this up into a news story? that'd be great, we could link your foundation trusts guide to it...

#20
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WeTheYouth
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Feb 27 2007 14:25

Yeah, ill ask my mate to bring her camera and ill send up to you.

#21
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Steven.'s picture
Steven.
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Feb 27 2007 14:34

sweet.

#22
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magnifico
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Feb 27 2007 15:29

ok, i'll do it in a bit

#23
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WeTheYouth
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Feb 27 2007 16:25

Made a facebook event for it

#24
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Steven.'s picture
Steven.
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Feb 27 2007 16:51
magnifico wrote:
ok, i'll do it in a bit

most excellent

#25
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Refused
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Feb 27 2007 19:44
WeTheYouth wrote:
Yeah, ill ask my mate to bring her camera and ill send up to you.

sad

#26
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WeTheYouth
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Feb 28 2007 14:06
Refused wrote:
WeTheYouth wrote:
Yeah, ill ask my mate to bring her camera and ill send up to you.

:(

Darling would you please bring your camera?

=P

#27
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Refused's picture
Refused
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Feb 28 2007 19:19

Don't want to now.

#28
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WeTheYouth
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Feb 28 2007 20:01

Please ill bring you soem cake.

#29
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Refused's picture
Refused
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Feb 28 2007 20:33

Nah, your mate's camera is better than mine. But I'll take the cake.

#30
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WeTheYouth
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Mar 1 2007 19:07

Bring ya camera dammit!