Another activism email - on management of mental health injuries including return to work in my home state

This is from another activism email I have sent to my local elected MP. First, a useful link: 

• https://content.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/Factsheet-WorkCover-Scheme-modernisation-Return-to-Work-Victoria.pdf
  

Now the extract from the email: 

***

I note that the following changes to management of mental health claims are proposed or being implemented:

• establishment of "Return to Work Victoria", on the basis that "we know the longer workers stay on the scheme, the sicker they get" (how is that known?);
  
• reduced payment for support.
  

I experienced extreme stress, burnout, and mental health problems from my near half century of work: too often.

In the 1980s and 90s the hours on my work plan to meet deadlines would, on occasion, exceed the hours in a week. Despite that, my managers would not hire additional people to cope with the workload, as doing so would affect their financial KPIs. Subsequently, workload has not been as extreme, but I commonly had a couple of dozen projects to work on every fortnight, and trying to cope with that harmed my mental health.

I have been meditating personally since the 1970s, as a teenager, and I have done considerable personal growth work since as a result of my interest in spirituality - including training as a phone counsellor in the 1980s.

I am competent at managing my wellbeing, and I was excellent at my job.

The responsibility for burnout lies with the company, not the individual.

The following is from https://www.who.int/news/item/28-09-2022-who-and-ilo-call-for-new-measures-to-tackle-mental-health-issues-at-work (emphasis added by me):

"WHO’s global guidelines on mental health at work recommend actions to tackle risks to mental health such as heavy workloads, negative behaviours, and other factors that create distress at work. For the first time WHO recommends manager training, to build their capacity to prevent stressful work environments and respond to workers in distress."

I also note https://www.who.int/news/item/17-05-2021-long-working-hours-increasing-deaths-from-heart-disease-and-stroke-who-ilo. Again, the primary responsibility for that is with management - getting home at extreme levels of exhaustion because of needing to be hyperfocused, despite using mental health care tools such as "mindfulness" is not the responsibility of the victim - i.e., the worker, and makes doing exercise more difficult - ESPECIALLY for women and others with carer duties. Doing exercise at work or during working hours blurs the boundaries between work and personal life, and is counter-productive and damaging, owing to its intrusiveness.

I also note that the WHO is recommending additional supports, such as psychosocial support, which are included in these proposals. That is probably good, although much will depend on the details.

However, reducing financial support to only cover medical expenses will cause extreme stress over how survival needs are going to be met. Access to unemployment benefits is based on requirements such as continued applications for work - which is counter to the wellbeing of the person concerned.

I strongly urge that this aspect be reconsidered.

I also note that  Return to Work Victoria will "work with others", including employers. Will that include the aspects recommended by WHO - i.e., "manager training, to build their capacity to prevent stressful work environments"? Will it do so WITHOUT blaming the victims of excessive workloads - i.e., workers?

If not, I would question the adequacy and efficacy of the proposal.

I also note that the ALP exists as a party to support workers, not managers. The ALP has an outstanding history on safety - for instance, I recall the improvements after the introduction of the OHSA in the late 1980s. The intent of this work is clearly aimed at continuing that proud tradition (and I note the article at https://theconversation.com/new-findings-show-a-direct-causal-relationship-between-unemployment-and-suicide-209486, which I brought to the attention of a Bundoora branch meeting a few months ago), but I consider the proposal requires some consideration and fine tuning over aspects such as those I have raised in this email.

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

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Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.