UNISON is today launching a Wales-wide campaign to raise awareness of mental health illness in the workplace as demand on public services and public service workers increases. The launch is taking place in Swansea and will hear the experiences of a number of people who have suffered from mental health issues whilst in the workplace.
UNISON is working with Mind Cymru and Time to Change Wales to highlight the fact that one in four people experience a mental health problem in any given year. A high proportion of those people are workers, and many have experienced mental health problems as a result of stress in the workplace. Stress is now the largest cause of work-related illness.
The campaign is to encourage people to recognise the signs of mental health problems in themselves and those around them, including their colleagues. The campaign also highlights workers’ rights in relation to mental health illness and promotes ways in which people can seek support.
Carmen Bezzina, UNISON organiser, said:
“There is still a stigma attached to people who experience mental illness, despite the fact that it is so common.
“Many people are reluctant to seek support and are unaware of their workplace rights, yet workplace stress is the number one reason for work-related illness.
“We know that mental illness amongst our members is increasing. Not only are they being expected to meet the growing demand for public services at a time when those very same services are facing enormous budget challenges, but are doing so whilst suffering the biggest cost of living crisis in a generation.
“Our members continue to experience a real term drop in wages which shows no sign of stopping. This is undoubtedly causing an increase in stress and mental illness as people are genuinely struggle to make ends meet and are fearful for their future.
“Clearly, as a union we are fighting for fair pay in the workplace, but we are also trying to make sure that our members are given the tools to be able to be able to cope in the face of this adversity and to know how to seek support if they need it.”
