European Trade Union Committee for Education

On 10 October 2017, ETUCE marked World Mental Health Day by reiterating the need for action on mental health in the workplace, especially in schools and Universities, on issues such as the prevention and management of psychosocial risks and work-related stress for teachers and education personnel.

EU-OSHA, the EU agency for safety and health at work recently found that 25% of European citizens will experience a mental health problem during their lifetime and 10% of long term health problems can be linked to mental and emotional disorders. This is increasingly true for teachers, who suffer frequently from school-violence, harassment and other forms of psychosocial hazards, as resulted from the EU-funded project called “Social Partners Promoting Decent Workplaces in the Education Sector for a Healthier Working Life”.

ETUCE reaffirms its commitment to promote decent workplaces that provide for mental health and recognises the importance of World Mental Health Day in raising awareness and support action on these issues. Indeed, ETUCE European Director, Susan Flocken, said that: “Teaching workforce diversity and risk assessment are vital to ensure that all teachers and educators are covered with the highest occupational health and safety standards”.

For more information on the EU social-dialogue project on ‘decent workplaces in education’ please click here.