Em Campbell (Newcastle College)

further education, woman

Election address

The importance of equality, diversity and inclusion is close to my heart. This was compounded last year when I was diagnosed with type 2 bipolar disorder. Mental health is often misunderstood as a disability, yet work-related stress continues to be the top workplace hazard. Unfortunately, this is not reflected in the number of members who declare a disability to their employer due to the stigma associated with mental health and non-visible disabilities.

Understanding how inequality plays out in the workplace is integral to delivering effective and supportive representation. I have represented colleagues who have faced discrimination due to protected characteristics. Having a personal understanding of these challenges has helped inform my practice and enabled me to support members effectively.

Between 2019 and 2020 I sat on the Northern Regional Committee as Equality Officer. During this time, I gained further insight into equality issues within the workplace as well as consideration for how to support members at a local level. One example involved campaigning to raise awareness of the challenges faced by those experiencing the symptoms of menopause. While this had initially been a member-led incentive, after continued work there is now a menopause policy set to go live in the coming months.

The last few years have been particularly difficult in the post-16 sector. Working as a lecturer in adult education at Newcastle College while serving as Branch Secretary in one of the largest FE branches in the country has come with challenges, but I have constantly striven for the best possible outcomes for all our members.

If elected to the NEC I would continue to:

• Champion the rights of disabled and marginalised members and colleagues, by examining how we encourage further active participation of such individuals within the union, ensuring equal representation.
• Seek support and training for Health and Safety reps allowing for a greater understanding of mental health awareness and incorporation of this into their roles.
• Campaign across all sectors of the union to ensure an active focus on wellbeing from the employer that goes beyond an annual 'wellness day' or tokenistic 'resilience training' which places the onus on the individual as responsible for improving their own mental health.
• Campaign to challenge the link between disability, and sickness absence 'triggers' and the importance of securing reasonable adjustments, plus support the TUC's call for Long Covid to become a recognised disability.

As a trade union, we need to move towards proactive and preventative approaches to mental health in the workplace, rather than reacting to employers on an individual level.  As a representative on the NEC, supporting branches to be active in promoting mental health awareness as a long-term priority rather than a short-term fix would be of paramount importance.