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UK: Overworked NHS staff report stress, sickness, and a reliance on antidepressants, says UNISON
In the run up to psychosocial hazards-themed International Workers’ Memorial Day health service union UNISON has said health workers need better support to cope with the pressures they face.
A third of NHS employees have taken time off for mental health issues in the past year with many staff talking about reaching “breaking point”, according to new findings released by UNISON on 15 April 2026.
A survey of health workers, including nurses, occupational therapists and paramedics, has also found more than four in five (85%) have experienced stress at work over the past 12 months.
Staff say stress has had a significant impact on their mental and physical health, with symptoms including anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, migraines, and sleep disturbance.
Some have experienced high blood pressure, stress-related vomiting, dizziness and breathlessness, according to the findings of the union survey. One NHS worker even reported suffering a heart attack due to understaffing and high workloads.
Many described reaching breaking point, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by sustained levels of stress. This has affected their relationships and family lives, with some reporting suicidal thoughts, UNISON says.
NHS workers also described taking antidepressants and beta-blocker drugs, as well as undergoing cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling.
UNISON says the findings – based on responses from more than 19,000 staff and released during the union’s annual health conference in Edinburgh – paint a grim picture when the NHS workforce is under pressure to reduce waiting lists.
Almost a quarter (23%) didn’t tell their employer the real reason for their absence from work. Of those, most said they did not feel their manager would support them, while concerns about stigma and not wanting colleagues to know were also common.
Counselling, medication or other forms of support had been sought in the past year by more than one in four (28%) of those under stress. Almost two thirds (65%) of those who had taken time off for stress reported feeling that they were under pressure to come to work, despite feeling mentally unwell. This adds strain to an already overstretched workforce, UNISON says.
The Covid inquiry into the impact of the pandemic on the UK’s healthcare systems highlighted the “almost superhuman efforts” of NHS staff despite the significant and long-lasting impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
Ongoing pressures and staff shortages since the pandemic are only adding to the problem, says UNISON.
UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: “Such high levels of stress in the NHS should be ringing alarm bells. Staff who care for others are being pushed to the point that they’re becoming unwell themselves.
“There should be no stigma around mental health, especially in healthcare. Staff need proper support to cope with the pressures they face.
“Government and employers must do more to help staff with their mental health, including providing fast-track access to treatment and moving away from punitive and counter-productive absence policies.
“They must also act to ensure the NHS is safely staffed to meet the growing needs of communities.”
Notes to editors:
– The survey was conducted from 27 January to 27 February 2026 and received 19,356 responses from staff working in healthcare across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland including nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, admin workers and cleaners.
– Staff experiences recorded by the survey include:
“Stress has brought on an eating disorder, and my mental health has suffered tremendously.” Health care assistant, Yorkshire
“I’ve started to take a high dose of antidepressants. I struggle to sleep. It affects my mood at home with my family. I’ve developed a twitch in my eye which the doctor and optometrist say is down to stress and fatigue.” Admin worker, Yorkshire
“I’m on anxiety medication. I’ve just finished some counselling but may restart in the future.” Mental health nurse, Yorkshire
“I’m on medication, regularly see a psychiatrist and psychologist, and have had to take sick leave.” Nurse, North West
“I’ve been so stressed I had a heart attack before Christmas due to no staff and massive workloads.” Admin worker, North West
“My stress manifested in physical symptoms such as stomach aches, vomiting, shaking and overwhelming anxiety when I walk into work. I also started pulling my hair out and it’s triggered by things such as heavy workloads.” Estates and facilities worker, North West
“I’ve developed depression and anxiety due to work, to the point I had negative thoughts and my GP has prescribed antidepressants. I’m constantly stressed and dread going to work. Constant micromanagement and demands are increasing burnout and anxiety.” Paramedic, London
“I often feel overwhelmed by my workload and struggle to switch off from my job, which has caused constant worry and anxiety. This stress made concentrating difficult and reduced my confidence in carrying out tasks. I also experience fatigue, low mood and have difficulty sleeping, and that’s affected my overall wellbeing and performance at work.” Midwife, London
“I have high levels of anxiety and constantly fear making mistakes due to the workload and staffing issues. I’ve experienced hair thinning, poor appetite, dehydration and urinary infections, because I’m unable to pause for a drink. My immune system is poor because I feel burnout, but I fear taking any time off leads to financial issues.” Nurse, West Midlands
“I underwent counselling to help me deal with my work-life balance. I had an occupational health referral that recommended redeployment to come off the road to help reduce stress, but this wasn’t accommodated on my return.” Emergency ambulance associate, South West
“Work pressure was overwhelming. As the weeks went by, I was getting worse: crying as I drove to work, struggling to cope with daily pressure. I was emotional, not eating or sleeping, lacked confidence, withdrew from social and family events. I struggled to even do grocery shopping. It’s something I hope I never go through again.” Admin worker, East of England
“Stress at work has affected my marriage, my ability to socialise and I feel constantly on the verge of tears.” Clinical support worker, Scotland
“My workload is unrealistic. I’m covering two people’s jobs whilst a colleague is on maternity. There’s very little support from senior management. I’ve been signed off by my GP due to work-related stress and high blood pressure for six weeks. I’m now on medication and looking for other jobs.” Admin worker, Northern Ireland
– UNISON’s annual health conference began on Monday (13 April) and continues until today (Wednesday 15 April) at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Edinburgh EH3 8EE. UNISON general secretary Andrea Egan gave the keynote speech on Monday afternoon. Health workers from across the UK have been in attendance to debate a variety of motions including NHS pay, a greener NHS, bank staff, support for migrant workers, mental health, sexual safety, problems with NHS salary scales, and safe staffing.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Canada: Day of Mourning events and ceremonies 2026 – CLC
April 28 is the labour movement’s most solemn day, but also one to refocus our commitment to preventing future workplace injuries and deaths. Every year, thousands of workers, friends and families of fallen workers gather at ceremonies across Canada to recognize the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job. As we mourn for the dead, the Canadian Labour Congress continues to fight for the living.
UK: RMT declares 28 April a day of action against assaults
Transport union RMT, will hold a national day of action to tackle the growing threat of assaults across the rail, bus, metro and ferry sectors on April 28.
The union is stepping up its Action Against Assaults campaign in a bid to improve the day to day working lives of members, to create a safer environment for passengers and to ensure employers and the governments in the UK to take their responsibilities seriously.
RMT wants to see an end to lone working and staffing levels, increased funding and presence of the British Transport Police and to put pressure on politicians in Scotland and Wales ahead of devolved elections.
The union is seeking commitments from Scottish political parties for a bespoke offence of assaulting a transport worker to become law in the next Scottish Parliament.
Activities such as leafleting of rail stations, ports and bus depots will take place across the country on Tuesday April 28, which coincides with International Workers Memorial Day.
Ahead of the day of action, RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “This campaign is one of the most important the union has ever undertaken and we require significant action to improve the day to day lives of our members who fear being assaulted at work.
“Public transport must be a space where passengers feel welcome and our members feel safe.
“That needs enforcement both legally and through proper resourcing of authorities like the BTP with safe staffing levels on the transport network.
“Only this Easter Bank Holiday, I have had reports of our members being seriously assaulted, all for just doing their jobs professionally and being of significant help to passengers during extremely busy travel environments.
“Politicians and employers have responsibility for ensuring our members safety and creating a decent environment for passenger travel.
“This day of action will provide the springboard for further political and industrial campaigning until we reach an acceptable situation for our members.”
Gibraltar: Workers’ Memorial Day ceremony next Wednesday at Alameda Gardens – Unite
The Workers’ Memorial Day ceremony will be held on Wednesday 29th April at the Alameda Gardens.
It will be a collaborative event between Unite the union and the Government, organised by Cultural Services.
The ceremony will begin at ten, and will be led by the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo.
USA: NCOSH one worker dies every 104 minutes – ‘Dirty Dozen 2026’ exposes companies putting workers at risk
One Worker Dies Every 104 Minutes: National COSH Dirty Dozen 2026 Exposes Dangerous Companies Putting Workers at Risk
- New report released during Workers’ Memorial Week highlighting preventable workplace hazards and calls for urgent accountability.
- Latino, immigrant, and Black workers disproportionately face dangerous conditions, exploitation, and barriers to workplace protections.
- Released amid a sharp drop in workplace health and safety enforcement, as federal penalties decline 47 percent in 2025.
Los Angeles, CA – On April 22, marking the beginning of Workers’ Memorial Week—observed this year from April 22 to April 29—the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) has released its 2026 Dirty Dozen report, identifying twelve companies that have put workers’ lives at risk through unsafe practices, inadequate protections, and systemic neglect. The report comes as federal workplace health and safety penalties drop nearly 45 percent during the current administration, according to Good Jobs First, raising alarm about declining enforcement just as preventable deaths, injuries, and illnesses continue across the country. The Dirty Dozen underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement and corporate accountability.
“Every year, we honor workers who have lost their lives on the job, and every year, we see the same pattern: companies prioritizing profit over people,” said Jessica E. Martinez, MPH, Executive Director of National COSH. “The Dirty Dozen 2026 makes clear that these tragedies are not accidents, they are the result of choices. Employers must be held accountable, and workers must be empowered to speak out without fear.”
Across industries, the report documents recurring corporate failures that placed workers at risk, including extreme heat, hazardous machinery, toxic chemicals, wage theft, retaliation, and exploitative labor practices. Weak enforcement, reflected in a 47 percent drop in workplace health and safety penalties in 2025, and complex subcontracting systems allow companies to evade responsibility while workers bear the consequences.
The Dirty Dozen 2026 includes the following companies, listed in alphabetical order:
- Alliance Ground International: Repeated safety violations, unsafe equipment, and worker mistreatment allegations.
- Cambria Company, LLC: Engineered stone products linked to deadly silica disease.
- CommonSpirit Health: Unsafe staffing, workplace violence, and labor concerns impacting care.
- Consolidated Catfish Producers, LLC: Amputations, machine hazards, and dangerous indoor heat.
- D.R. Horton, Inc.: Repeated safety violations and hazardous construction jobsite conditions amid ICE enforcement actions.
- Hyundai-Kia U.S. Supply Chain: Worker deaths, child labor findings, and subcontracted exploitation.
- Jeny Sod and Nursery: Wage theft claims, heat risks, pesticide exposure, and housing concerns.
- LSG Sky Chefs: Extreme heat and lack of cooling protections for workers.
- Maker’s Pride LLC (formerly Hearthside, LLC): Amputations, child labor violations, and anti-union concerns.
- Revoli Construction Co., Inc: Decades of trenching violations ending in fatal collapse.
- Subway IP LLC: Wage theft, retaliation, and labor issues across franchises.
- Wellmade Industries MFR. N.A LLC: safety violations, labor exploitation, and trafficking investigation.
Workers directly impacted by these conditions shared powerful testimonies that underscore the human cost of unsafe workplaces.
Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez, former engineered stonecutter who worked with Cambria products and is now living with silicosis, said: “For more than a decade, I cut and polished engineered stone without knowing the dust I was breathing could kill me. By the time I was diagnosed with silicosis, my lungs were already severely damaged. No one warned me about the risks or the silica in the product. If I had known, I would have chosen a different path to protect my life.”
A catfish processing worker at Consolidated Catfish Producers, LLC, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, said: “The heat inside the plant is overwhelming. By the time we reach a break, we are dizzy and dehydrated, and we don’t always have safe access to water. People get seriously injured on the machines, and others are put in their place without proper training. It feels like safety is not a priority.”
Kissy Cox, an auto manufacturing worker at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Company, part of the Hyundai-Kia U.S. supply chain, said: “I reported my injuries, but I was still required to work in pain for months before getting proper medical attention. Many of my coworkers are going through the same thing. The company says it’s a safe place to work, but the reality does not match what we experience.”
An auto manufacturing supply chain worker employed through a subcontractor connected to the Hyundai-Kia U.S. Supply Chain, who requested anonymity, said: “We see safety violations every day, from inadequate training to dangerous conditions that put lives at risk. Workers have been injured and even killed, yet there is little accountability. We want safe jobs, not just promises.”
A food processing worker at Maker’s Pride LLC (formerly Hearthside, LLC), who requested anonymity due to risk of retaliation, said: “We are pushed to work faster and faster, often skipping water or bathroom breaks because of the pressure. People get sick, dizzy, and injured, but many do not report it because they are afraid of losing their jobs. We are treated like machines instead of human beings.”
Martinez added: “No one should have to risk their life to earn a paycheck. These workers are showing tremendous courage by speaking out. Their voices must shape stronger protections, real accountability, and every worker’s right to return home safe.” National COSH calls on policymakers for stronger workplace protections, increased enforcement resources, accountability across supply chains, federal health protections, and safeguards against retaliation when workers speak out.
Dirty Dozen 2026 report
Asia-Pacific/Philippines: ITUC IWMD webinar – psychosocial risks at work: organising for workers’ health and safety
In commemoration of International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) on 28 April 2026, ITUC-Asia Pacific, with support from FES Philippines, warmly invites all affiliates to join a regional webinar on psychosocial risks and organising for workers’ safety and health.
Across the region, many workers face growing pressures at work – from excessive workloads and unpredictable hours to harassment, job insecurity, isolation, and digital surveillance. These conditions can harm workers’ health and well-being, leading to stress, anxiety, burnout, and other psychosocial harms. Psychosocial risks are often felt most by workers already facing discrimination and exclusion, including women, migrant workers, young workers, LGBTIQ+ workers, Indigenous workers, workers with disabilities, and those in informal and platform economies.
In this context, this webinar will bring together unions across the region to share experiences, highlight organising strategies, and discuss how addressing psychosocial risks can strengthen worker protection and union action.
This two-hour session is designed to be highly interactive, ensuring that participants are not just listeners but active contributors. The webinar will include:
- Live interactive activities to capture workers’ experiences and perceptions of psychosocial risks in real time
- Union voices from different sectors and contexts sharing concrete organising experiences addressing psychosocial risks and their impacts on workers and workplaces
- Small breakout discussions where participants can exchange experiences and reflect on organising opportunities around psychosocial risks
- Collective reflection and synthesis to identify key demands, organising lessons, and messages for the regional IWMD campaign
Hearing from workers across different sectors and contexts will help deepen our understanding of how psychosocial risks affect workers and workplaces and strengthen our collective efforts to ensure safer and healthier working conditions for all.
REGISTER here: ITUC Meeting Registration – Zoom
Belgium/Europe: ETUI-ETUC invitation: Climate change and workers’ health, 28/04, 9:00
!!! Please register HERE, before 24/04 !!!
ETUI-ETUC joint conference in commemoration of the International Workers’ Memorial Day
Climate change and workers’ health
28 April 2026, 9:00 – 17:00
Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre (Avenue du Boulevard 17, 1210 Brussels), room Oslo II
Climate change is not only challenging the labour market but it is also reshaping working conditions and occupational risks and workers’ health across Europe and beyond. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation are creating new and intensified occupational hazards while exposing existing inequalities between sectors, territories and groups of workers.
This one-day conference organised on 28th April will commemorate the International Workers’ Memorial Day. The event will bring together leading academics, trade union representatives, policymakers and practitioners to examine the growing impacts of climate change on occupational health and safety with a particular focus on heat stress at work and the prospect of better EU legal tools against occupational heat.
By fostering dialogue between research, social partners and EU institutions, the conference aims to contribute to the development of fair, effective and worker-centered responses to climate change putting occupational health and safety at the heart of Europe’s climate and social agenda.
Download the final programme HERE.
The event will take place IN PERSON in Brussels. Interpretation will be available in English, French, Italian and Spanish. Following the conference, the recording and the presentations of participating speakers (subject to their agreement) will be made available on this website. Please register HERE before 24/04.
UK: Hazards Campaign press release: International Workers’ Memorial Day 28 April 2026
Hazards Press Release: International Workers’ Memorial Day 28 April 2026
PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release
28 April 2026
Workers’ Memorial Day 2026: Remember the Dead. Fight for the Living — Addressing Psychosocial Hazards at Work
On International Workers’ Memorial Day, 28 April 2026, workers and trade unions around the world will come together to remember those who have died, been injured, or made ill because of work — and to demand action to prevent further harm.
In 2026, the global trade union movement, coordinated by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), is marking Workers’ Memorial Day with a focus on the urgent and growing crisis of psychosocial hazards at work, highlighted through its global campaign at: https://28april.org
Psychosocial hazards — including work-related stress, excessive workloads, long and unpredictable hours, job insecurity, bullying, harassment, workplace violence, and the misuse of technology and surveillance — are among the leading causes of work-related ill health worldwide. These risks contribute to mental ill health, cardiovascular disease, burnout, and suicide, yet are preventable. Despite this, they are still too often ignored or treated as individual resilience issues rather than recognised as health and safety failures rooted in how work is organised. The ITUC warns that deregulation, weak enforcement, insecure work, climate-related pressures, and technological intensification are driving a global rise in psychosocial harm.
The long-standing message of Workers’ Memorial Day — “Remember the Dead. Fight for the Living.” — reminds us that behind every statistic is a worker whose life has been permanently changed or cut short by unsafe work, including unsafe systems of work that damage mental health.
Manchester Event
Greater Manchester Hazards Centre will mark International Workers’ Memorial Day with a public event at Lincoln Square in central Manchester on 28 April from 11.30am:
https://gmhazards.org.uk/index.php/event/international-workers-memorial-day-28-april-2026
We will be remembering those we have lost and standing with workers currently experiencing harm caused by work-related stress, pressure, and insecurity. Other events will be held around the country, see:
https://www.megaphone.org.uk/events
Will at Greater Manchester Hazards Centre said:
“Psychosocial hazards are real workplace hazards. Stress, bullying, harassment, overwork, and insecure work are killing workers just as physical dangers are. This Workers’ Memorial Day, we honour those we have lost and recommit ourselves to changing the way work is organised so that it protects, rather than damages, people’s health.”
International Workers’ Memorial Day is also a call for action. In line with the ITUC’s 2026 campaign, Greater Manchester Hazards Centre calls on employers, regulators, and governments to:
- Explicitly recognise psychosocial hazards as workplace health and safety risks
- Conduct effective risk assessments addressing work-related stress and mental health
- Prevent bullying, harassment, violence, and discrimination at work
- Regulate excessive working hours and unsafe workloads
- Strengthen enforcement of health and safety legislation
- Ensure protection for all workers, including those in insecure and outsourced work
Psychosocial harm at work is not inevitable. Strong laws, strong enforcement, and strong unions save lives. On 28 April, we remember those who have died and recommit to fighting for safe, healthy and dignified work for all.
Ends
Notes to Editors
International Workers’ Memorial Day takes place annually on 28 April.
In 2026, the ITUC global theme focuses on psychosocial hazards at work, including stress, working hours, job insecurity, bullying, and the mental health impacts of work organisation.
Campaign resources and statements are available at:
https://28april.org
https://gmhazards.org.uk
Media Contact
Name: Will Starritt
Role: Coordinator
Organisation: Greater Manchester Hazards Centre
Email: William@GMHazards.org.uk
Phone: 0161 884 4229
Spain: USO 28 april resources show climate change is a workplace risk
Te envío nuestra campaña de este año, centrada en que el cambio climático es ya un riesgo laboral. En este sentido, reivindicamos espacios de trabajo seguros ante los fenómenos meteorológicos adversos cada vez más frecuentes y el cambio climático.
En los últimos años estamos asistiendo a un cambio en los patrones climatológicos que, más allá de veranos más largos o inviernos más cálidos, afecta directamente sobre el entorno y las condiciones de trabajo. La DANA de Valencia, los incendios del 2025 o la borrasca Filomena nos han demostrado que las condiciones ambientales también afectan directamente a la seguridad y la salud en el trabajo.
Por ello, desde USO consideramos imprescindible poner en el foco datos, estadísticas, estudios y análisis que, ante el próximo Día Mundial de la Seguridad y la Salud en el Trabajo, evidencian esta nueva realidad laboral. Mientras las empresas mantienen una actitud reactiva y las instituciones avanzan con marcos normativos en fase de desarrollo, la siniestralidad vinculada al clima exige una intervención inmediata.
Los materiales de esta campaña son:
· Manifiesto y cartel
· Díptico en formato Preguntas Frecuentes dirigido a trabajadores y trabajadoras.
Un abrazo
