International Workers' Memorial Day

The mental health risks to workers is more apparent now than ever with the rise of new technologies, surveillance, algorithms, insecure work, wages not keeping up with living costs, climate change, pollution and workplace discrimination/harassment. The impact on workers and their families as well as the economy is staggering. The TUC, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and most unions including UCU are promoting awareness of worker mental health throughout the year to encourage employers to take it seriously through preventive measures.

The IWMD core theme: Psychosocial Hazards

The campaign argues that psychosocial risks are not just 'individual resilience' issues, but structural health and safety failures caused by how work is organised.

These hazards include:

• work-related stress and excessive, unpredictable hours
• job insecurity and outsourced work
• bullying, harassment, and workplace violence
• the misuse of technology and surveillance.

The ITUC and UCU emphasise that these conditions are driving a rise in mental ill-health, burnout, cardiovascular disease, and suicide.

Key demands for change

The IWMD campaign is a call to action for employers, regulators, and government to treat these mental health risks with the same gravity as physical dangers. The campaign demands are:

• Explicit recognition: Formal acknowledgment of psychosocial hazards as legitimate workplace health and safety risks.
• Effective risk assessments: Proactive management of work-related stress and mental health.
• Prevention: Robust measures to stop bullying, harassment, violence, and discrimination.
• Regulation: Action to cap excessive working hours and unsafe workloads.
• Stronger enforcement: Better application of health and safety laws to protect all workers, especially those in insecure or outsourced positions.

IWMD event details near you

Purpose: To remember the dead and fight for the living by pushing for safer, healthier working environments.

For more information on national events, you can visit the Megaphone events page.