CWU Conference 2022 Debates Need For Mental Health Support And Awareness
Mental health is not an issue that should only be addressed when campaign groups get together to dedicate a week or a month to highlighting and educating the general public,employees, Trade Unions and politicians about the need to understand and support those with mental health conditions; and to promote wellbeing and care of those needing help and support.
The reality is that 1 in 4 of the population will at some point in their lives experience compromised mental health both personal and work-related.
With last weeks Mental Health Awareness Week addressing the subject of loneliness, Unionsafety looks back at CWU's Annual Conference held in Bournemouth last week in April, and brings you some of the most important debates around the subject of Mental Health:
CWU Supports Motion
Delegates heard from Michelle Reid-Hay of the Grampian and Shetland Amal Branch moving motion 5 on behalf of the Scotland Regional Committee regarding mental health and The Equality Act 2010 implementation problems. Asking conference delegates to raise their hands if they had ever suffered mental health problems, the point was again made that it is not always obvious that people are suffering from this disability.
Seconding the motion, Jamie McGovern, Greater Mersey Amal Branch said, that protective measures such as disability passports, workplace adjustments agreements, stress risk assessments, and especially when it comes to discipline cases. He discussed the current work being done by the CWU, but said more needs to be done via the TUC where the Union should lead based on our experience of the work required to support people with various mental health disabilities.
Eastern Regional Committee Highlight The Work Done By The National Campaign For Domestic Violence
In doing so the Branches speaking on the motion also detailed the work done by the organisation, argued for the need for the CWU to affiliate to the NCDV and explained the benefits CWU member across the UK would get from the union doing so.
A major point was made that delegates do not know if the person sitting next to them, is suffering from domestic violence in their home, and that the crime is an invisible one and like other forms of physical and mental harm; is mostly suffered in silence by the victims. Click on the image below to read the terms of Motion 13.
Mental Health Support To Help Avoid Suicides
In an emotionally charged debate, motion 30 moved by Maxiene Cartwright of South East Anglia Branch; called for the NEC and Regional Committees to develop their own mental health priorities and to link with local mental health support organisations.
The training of CWU reps on mental health support is to continue with the training of Mental Health First Aiders.
Two speakers, Chris Evans Greater Mersey Amal Branch and Steve Jones of the NEC, spoke with emotion as they told the silent conference delegates of their own personal experiences with mental health problems.
CWU Delegates Carry Motion Calling On HSE To Include Work-Related Suicide In Riddor Statistics
Delegates carried unanimously, Motion 48 from CWU's Newcastle Amal Branch which concerned itself at the lack of any form of recognition by the Health & Safety Executive, that work-related suicide is a national problem and demanded that such events are counted within the work-related loss of life statistics. Click on the image below to read the terms of Motion 48.
Motion 64 Calls For Robust Suicide Checklist To help Prevent Suicides
Delegates heard from speakers Ady Pins from North Wales and Marches Branch and Jamie McGovern of the Greater Mersey Amal Branch about the need for preventatice measures to help identify those at risk of suicide and to be able help them avoid the loss of their lives.
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