Safety reps in action
[page 51]A recent Unite survey of 500 members in a not-for-profit organisation revealed that almost 60% were subjected to stress, long hours, and work pressures, and around 20% had suffered bullying at work. However, only 3% of respondents said they used the staff helpline. The union reported that it is negotiating for management training to help eradicate an epidemic of stress and cases of bullying and to provide the right support in an often highly pressurised working environment.
UNISON reported that a branch issued “stress balls” to workers in an office with low union membership. A week later, they put around an email to all the staff saying that if they felt they needed to use a stress ball, they probably had a problem with stress. Squeezing a ball was not going to make it go away, but joining a union might.