Where is Unite's public leverage campaign to defend London & Eastern Health RISC Chair Mark Dunne?

There is growing concern about the failure to mount a serious national campaign in defence of Mark Dunne, a prominent figure in Unite’s health sector who has been removed from his job by East London Foundation Trust (ELFT).

Mark, a mental health nurse of 25 years’ service and a prominent figure within Unite in Health, has been subject to what his branch regards as a targeted and hostile redundancy by East London Foundation Trust (ELFT), which removed him from post in July.

Mark has been Unite Branch Secretary at ELFT for fifteen years and was elected Staff Side Chair in 2021. He has become a prominent figure within Unite’s health sector, driving forward an organising and campaigning agenda across London & Eastern. Mark drove the ballot that saw ELFT members take strike action in the 2022/23 pay dispute and has played a significant role in developing, coordinating and organising health branches across the region. In 2025 he was elected Chair of the London & Eastern Health RISC and also sits on Unite’s Regional Committee and Health NISC.

Mark has also been a loud voice against cuts to mental health services and was helping organise the campaign against the further £25 million of cuts and around 330 job losses planned at ELFT this year.

It is in this context that his treatment should be a huge concern for Unite.

ELFT deleted Mark’s substantive job despite his trade union role continuing to be needed. Mark still had around 12 months remaining in his elected term as Staff Side Chair when he was removed from post, The Trust refused calls to engage meaningfully over the issue and rejected the dispute that was subsequently launched, putting them in breach of their own recognition agreement.

His employment was subsequently terminated despite repeated protests and representations from the ELFT branch.

The branch regards this as a clear case of a leading NHS trade union representative being victimised for his trade union activity.

Unite needs to do more

The concern is that the response from Unite nationally has so far not matched the seriousness of what has happened.

There has been no major national publicity campaign specifically around Mark’s treatment or reinstatement and no prominent national statement condemning his treatment, despite this being repeatedly requested by Mark and other ELFT representatives.

This is not to say Unite has done nothing. Unite has supported the wider campaign against the cuts at ELFT and the National Health Officer has commented publicly. But given that a prominent Unite health activist, Branch Secretary, Staff Side Chair and Regional Health RISC Chair has lost his employment in circumstances his branch regards as trade union victimisation, it is reasonable to ask whether enough is being done.

The ELFT branch has held repeated protests over Mark’s treatment and is preparing to ballot over the cuts and Mark’s termination. It has also secured significant publicity, including national newspaper coverage and BBC radio. Much of this, however, has been driven by Mark, the branch and its supporters rather than by a coordinated national Unite campaign.

When Sharon Graham commented to the Guardian about the situation at ELFT, she rightly highlighted the cuts, but did not reference Mark’s termination.

That feels like a significant omission.

If an employer can remove a Branch Secretary of fifteen years, Staff Side Chair and prominent regional health activist while he is actively campaigning against major cuts, it should set alarm bells ringing across the union.

How much stronger could this campaign be if Unite publicly threw its full weight and campaigning resources behind Mark’s case?

Unite has set its own standard

Sharon Graham has repeatedly taken strong and welcome positions against trade union victimisation.

When Unite rep Pete Randle faced victimisation, Sharon Graham said: “Unite will not allow Pete to be victimised for carrying out his trade union duties” and pledged to “continue to do whatever is necessary in defence of our rep.”

As recently as January 2026, when two Unite representatives were dismissed at the International Transport Workers’ Federation, Unite demanded their immediate reinstatement, promised its “complete support”, launched a strike ballot and pledged to escalate the dispute.

Those were absolutely the right responses.

They also establish an important principle: when Unite representatives are targeted because of their trade union activity, the union stands firmly behind them.

The concern is why the same level of visible national support has not yet been brought behind Mark.

The branch is already preparing a ballot and has built a significant campaign locally. National backing, publicity and campaigning resources could transform the pressure on ELFT.

Every Unite representative should receive the same protection and solidarity regardless of political views, internal alignment or position within the union. Reps must be free to debate and disagree while knowing that when an employer attacks them for their trade union activity, their union will stand behind them.

That principle only means something if it is applied equally.

This is particularly important at a time when the NHS is facing enormous cuts and restructuring. Unite needs experienced workplace activists who are prepared to organise, campaign and take on employers. The removal of one of the union’s prominent health activists while leading opposition to cuts should therefore be treated as a major issue for the whole union.

Unite and Sharon Graham should now publicly reaffirm their full support for Mark; provide the necessary regional, national and media resources; support continued campaigning and demonstrations; pursue an appropriate remedy with ELFT; and give this case the same determination shown when other Unite representatives have faced victimisation.

This is not a request for special treatment.

It is a demand for equal treatment.

An injury to one is an injury to all.