BGCM Motions 2019

GFTU BGCM 2019 MOTION 4

Community union

Mental health at work.

Conference notes that ill mental health is one of the biggest issues in the work place, causing over 70 million working days to be lost each year and costing employers approximately £2.4 billion per year. Conference further notes that 300,000 people with a long term mental health problem lose their jobs each year in the UK. Conference believes good mental health should be a priority for every workplace and all workers who deal with mental health in their day to day should be trained to spot signs of mental health issues and understand how to respond appropriately. Conference also believes employers have a crucial role to play in tackling poor mental health at work, and that the Government should encourage and support employers more effectively. • Encourage the GFTU to support union campaigns to improve mental health provision, training, and attitudes in workplaces. • Call on the Health and Safety Executive to conduct mental health risk assessments in workplaces across the country to raise employer awareness of their duty to assess and manage mental health at work. • Call on employers to ensure their workplaces are supportive environments by training their employees in Mental Health First Aid, offering flexible working and time off, and by implementing inclusive employment and recruitment policies. • Lead a national campaign calling for significant new funding for mental health services and in particular, crisis care services whether in the community or in our health and prison system. Conference calls on the GFTU to: