Astms Strike Over Sacking
Socialist Press1976 1976-05-19Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
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ASTMS members at London's National Hospital for Nervous Diseases took part in a one hour token strike on May 7th against the victimisation of Lesley Nairn, a senior Technician. She had been sacked for refusing to see a psychiatrist named by hospital management after she suffered a short illness.
An active trade unionist hospital. Miss Nairn mas moved The ASTMS picket line.
from the hospital laboratories to an "ofice" in a different building after complaints about her work and time keeping were made to management.
The union claims that none of these complaints were substantiated and that Miss Nairn was placed in an office with no work and no contact with other people for three weeks.
Not surprisingly Miss Nain developed an anxiety state. The personnel officer at the hospital called in two psychiatrists and Miss Nairn was committed to Friern Barnet hospital on a 72-hour order.
After her discharge, a Guy's Hospital psychiatrist and her own GP both declared her fit to return to work. It was at this point that hospital management insisted that she see a psychiatrist of their choosing.
ASTMS members feel that Lesley Nairn is being victimised for her trade union activities and that the hospital management are attempting to have her declared unfit for work in order to exclude her from her job.
Shortly before the token strike was due to take place, the ASIMS branch offered to abide by the decision of an independent psychiatrist agreed by both sides. Management turned down the offer.
Although Miss Nairn's appeal was due to be heard last Wednesday management will clearly base their case on her "indiscipline" fór refusing to see their psychiatrist rather than on an assumption that she is unfit for work.
. The Appeals Committee is in any case heavily weighted in favour of management.
Encouraged by the token strike, which mas aiso supported by T&GWU and EETPT members in the hospital, ASTHS members hate made it clear that if the outcome of the appeal is unsatisfactory. a longer strike will be called.
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OCL dnesday May 19th