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Resources for Workers & Unions

Explore our wide range of resources to support workers and unions to achieve healthier working conditions and protect worker health and wellbeing.

Why Prioritize Work Stress?

Worker health & safety is fundamental to the labor movement. Over 60% of U.S. workers report high levels of work stress, and poor mental health, resulting from poor working conditions.

These sources of stress at work, also called “psychosocial hazards”, can cause burnout, depression, musculoskeletal disorders, injuries, higher blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.

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Use the Healthy Work Survey
Concerned about the impact of work stress on you or workers you represent? Use our free, online, anonymous, Healthy Work Survey and automated group report, to engage workers/members about work stress and health. To get started, request access to the survey as an organization or take the survey as an individual.
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Schedule a Work Stress Education Workshop or Training

Want to know more about how work stress harms the health, safety and well-being of working people? Do you want to engage your health & safety leaders and members about reducing hazardous sources of stress in the workplace? Book a training or workshop with one of our expert HWC team members.

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How to use the Healthy Work Survey

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Worker Education

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Train the trainer

Strategies for Workers

As individuals, we are often told to work hard and not complain. We might hear “just be glad you have a job.” What other choices do we have? Leaving a job is not always feasible, and doesn’t guarantee a better one will be around the corner. But we also have a right to a safe and healthy workplace. Where can you start?

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Hear Worker Stories

Read short case studies that give examples of collective bargaining contracts and workplace research partnerships that have addressed workplace stressors

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End to End Stress: One Workers’ Journey

Read what Louis reveals about working as a bus driver in New York

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The Toll on Relationships: One Spouse’s Story

Read what one video game developer’s spouse had to say about required long work hours.

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Overcoming Challenges, Working with Others

Read what Raul in Tennessee did to combat unsafe working conditions in construction.

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It’s time to address psychological health and safety at work.
Want to learn more or share resources with your coworkers or union colleagues?

FAQs

Find answers to common questions about our resources for workers and unions, how they may benefit you, and how you can get in touch for additional support.

What is the Healthy Work Campaign?
The Healthy Work Campaign (HWC) is a public health campaign focused on raising awareness in the U.S. about the health impacts of work stress on working people. We provide expert guidance about the positive actions individuals and organizations can take to advance healthy work. HWC is a project of the Center for Social Epidemiology (CSE), a 501c3 nonprofit.
What is the difference between unhealthy and healthy work?
Unhealthy work is when work is organized in a way which chronically exposes working people to stressful working conditions and other hazards. The culture and organization of work in the U.S. exposes individuals to a number of work stressors that are found in every occupation and industry, and that can cause mental and physical illness. Healthy work minimizes harmful work stressors (sources of stress at work) that take a toll on the health and productivity of working people. Healthy work is respectful, just, more sustainable, and promotes health and well-being.
How can individuals participate?
How can unions and other labor groups participate?
Unions can be more effective in protecting their members’ health and safety by working to reduce and prevent work stressors that can harm their members’ mental and physical health. Many unions are already tackling issues affecting healthy work including, work intensification (often the result of understaffing, layoffs, or “lean work” practices), “job strain” (high demands, low control, little support), long work hours, shift work, “precarious” work (non-standard employment, temp work), bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment, and the respect and dignity all people deserve whatever job they have.
Interested in addressing work stress among your membership? Check out our Strategies for Unions resource section on this page.
How can I book a workshop or training with you?
We are so glad you are taking another step toward making work healthier for you and other workers. Please complete our Schedule a Workshop form, and we will get back to you soon.