Introduction

Stress has become one of the principal by-products of the modern workplace, and the continuing economic crisis is adding to the pressure. Millions of people are experiencing heightened fear about their work and their income and how this impacts on the rest of their lives.

Over the last year, an escalating number of workers have suffered from the scourge of unemployment and the demoralising effects of losing their jobs, their wages and their day-to-day network of colleagues. Just as in the 1980s, workers who lose their jobs suffer from stress and are at serious risk of mental health problems such as depression. For those workers left behind the knowledge that the heaviest of cuts are yet to come will have tangible effects on their well-being.

Ironically, the Tory-led coalition government recently announced a new mental health strategy for England, No health without mental health, with the aim of removing stigma and assisting people with mental health problems to remain in paid employment. An additional investment of £400 million was announced to support it and its aims have been applauded. However, there is widespread scepticism that these aims can ever be achieved in the face of sweeping cost cutting and soaring demand for mental health services.

There is already evidence that the recession and ongoing economic fragility have pushed up demand for some mental health services, and in-patient numbers have risen for the first time in five years. There has been an 18% rise in the number of patients detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act, from 32,649 to 38,369 between 2008-09 and 2009-10, according to NHS Information Centre figures issued in January.

Despite this, mental health trusts are planning huge job cuts, with some planning to shed 15% of their workforces, according to Freedom of Information requests made by the campaign group False Economy.

Work-related stress is now well established as a massive health and safety hazard across all industries and occupations, blighting the lives of millions. The evidence that stress can lead to serious physical and mental health problems also continues to stack up. As much as a fifth of the UK workforce suffers from stress, while almost a million people are on benefits for mental health disorders.

There are some government-level interventions, such as the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Stress Management Standards and Acas guidance on mental health at work. However, these approaches accept the existing balance of power in the workplace, which allows management the overwhelming power to dictate the rhythms and practices of the labour process. There is also a tendency to deconstruct the problems to the individual level, when in fact aggregate, collective solutions are needed.

A trade union approach emphasising solidarity and collective action is necessary to successfully tackle stress and mental health at work and the role of trade union reps in this process is central.

Chapter 1 outlines the scale of work-related stress and mental health problems at work and the known causes and effects. Chapter 2 looks at the effects of the recession and financial crisis on mental health. Chapter 3 examines the law and work-related stress, including the effects of the Equality Act 2010, plus details of recent court cases. Chapter 4 evaluates government guidance from the HSE and Acas, which trade union reps can use to advance their case. Chapter 5 sets out some of the most useful trade union tools and activities, which reps can use to develop their own campaigns in the workplace.