- Conference
- 2015 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 7 October 2014
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference believes that the Government’s austerity agenda is leading to intolerable pressure on workers as cuts mean having to deliver services with fewer resources, and pay freezes/cuts make it more difficult for people to cope.
This Conference also believes that women are amongst the hardest hit by the austerity agenda. They are very often expected to hold down many additional roles, – including parenting, caring, and household responsibilities.
This Conference further believes that young women are especially under pressure as they are new to the world of work, often experience the lowest levels of pay, and can experience high levels of bullying and harassment.
This Conference notes that there is a growing level of stress arising amongst young women, and a growing incidence of mental health problems, but that mental health remains a generally taboo subject.
This conference calls on the National Women’s Committee to:
1) Call on service groups to ensure that employers are making adequate provision through employee assistance programmes etc. for employees experiencing stress and mental health issues, and that every effort is made to ensure these are promoted properly, and especially to young women employees;
2) Promote support for National Mental Health Day on 10 October 2015.