Improving RMT policy on mental health

Dear Colleague

IMPROVING RMT POLICY AND ACTIVITY ON MENTAL HEALTH

AGM Item 11 called on the union to establish a campaign to deal with increasing mental health difficulties and pressures that workplaces put on our members through continuation of our mental health awareness training, by drawing up model mental health at work policies, and by providing support for workers who experience assault or trauma at work.

The National Executive Committee have noted and adopted the following report of their Health and Safety Sub-committee:

We note there is an existing file on this matter in the Health and Safety section and action on the resolutions’ demands is underway. We instruct the General Secretary to place an updated report on this matter before this National Executive Committee by the first week in December 2017.

Branches and Regional Councils be advised.

RMT’s annual Health and Safety Advisory Conference, as requested in the resolution has already been dedicated to the memory of our colleague Leon Brumant who took his own life in 2016. We are very pleased to announce that both Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the FBU and Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of the mental health charity Mind and co-author of the recently published report ‘Thriving at Work’ have both agreed to address this topic. The Stevenson Farmer report is available here.

Work has also taken place to develop the short training course which is offered to all delegates to Conference which should act as a taster session to encourage representatives to attend the full mental health awareness course currently offered by the RMT. 

I am acting in accordance with this instruction. Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members.

Yours sincerely
 
Mick Cash 
General Secretary