Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Usdaw’s campaign equips reps with the tools they need to ensure members receive the right support at work and signposts them to independent, support organisations where they’re experiencing problems outside of work.  It also gives reps and members the opportunity to talk about the impact of the workplace on mental health and provides a platform for officials and local reps to negotiate improved workplace policies.
 
“Hundreds of workplaces took part on the day of action, making it one of Usdaw’s biggest campaign events. The strong response from reps reflects the campaign’s continued relevance to members' lives and demonstrates its enduring appeal to reps who spend so much of their time ensuring members receive the right support at work.
 
“One in four of us will experience a problem with our mental health at some point in our lives; for too long the impact of the workplace on mental health has not been talked about.  The Union’s ‘It’s Good to Talk’ campaign seeks to change that.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades.
 
Usdaw’s Mental Health Campaign: www.usdaw.org.uk/Campaigns/Mental-Health
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion