Memo to my MP: re-instate Karen Reissmann

I don't write to you very often, since I think we both know that on many issues we will simply not agree and there would be little to be gained from such correspondence. However, on the issue of my colleague, Karen Reissman, who I know personally and respect hugely as both a professional nurse and a trade unionist, I must ask you to consider the facts of this affront to the National Health Service and all who work for it.

I am writing to you because I was not able to attend the House of Commons today to support in person a lobby of Parliament in support of Karen Reissmann, victimised for speaking out against the risk to health services posed by cuts and privatisation. Karen’s case has the full support of UNISON, and I believe she will eventually win an Employment Tribunal decision in her favour for unfair dismissal. But whistleblowers and those public servants who speak out in defence of the services they provide should not have to wait for vindication and compensation from Employment Tribunals. It should be unlawful to victimise someone in the way that Karen's employer has victimised her, and so I would like to urge you to sign Early Day Motion 443.

Early Day Motion 443, submitted by John Leech MP, calls for the reinstatement of Karen Reissmann, the UNISON member sacked by Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust in November 2007. Karen was suspended by the Trust on the 15th June 2007 accused of seriously adversely affecting the reputation of the Trust and undermining their confidence in her as an employee. Further allegations were added at a later stage and a disciplinary hearing took place early in November 2007 where Karen was found guilty of gross misconduct and dismissed.

The charges laid against Karen were, frankly, fatuous, and included the allegation that she told people she was innocent of the initial charge of bringing the Trust into disrepute. If proclaiming one's own innocence can itself be a disciplinary offence then there can be no justice. At all times Karen was acting on behalf of, and expressing the views of, those members of her workforce who had elected her to be their trade union representative.

Subsequently to her dismissal, Karen has received unprecedented levels of support from both her colleagues and patients she has worked with over her career as a mental health nurse. Meetings in Manchester to protest against her sacking have been packed with patients, carers, staff and members of the public, concerned that the Trust itself, rather than Karen, is in danger of bringing the NHS into disrepute with the vindictiveness with which they have targeted her for dismissal.

The Early Day Motion states “That this House notes with concern the sacking of Karen Reissmann, Senior Practitioner Nurse, from the Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust; is concerned that she was unjustifiably dismissed for speaking out against proposed changes to services which many staff believed would result in a worse service to patients; recognises the rights for all constituents to freedom of speech; to condemn Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust for disciplining Karen Reissmann for exercising her right; and calls upon Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust to reinstate Karen Reissmann with immediate effect.”

Public servants – especially those who represent colleagues as lay trade union officials – must be free to speak out, particularly when in so doing they are speaking up for the best traditions of the National Health Service, and in defence of our patients and our services.