Trade Unions Must Contribute to the Fight Against the Global Pandemic of Cognitive Disorders
The General Confederation of Trade Unions has issued a statement in connection with World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
Although there is a lack of statistical data, the impact of psychosocial factors on workers across various economic sectors worldwide is evident to trade unions.
Psychosocial factors are becoming an increasingly acute problem affecting the physical, mental, and social well-being and health of workers. This includes not only the atmosphere in the workplace but also the way tasks are planned and organized, their volume, pace, and clarity of expectations.
"Blurring the boundaries of workspace and time, as well as subjecting precarious employment to impersonal algorithms, push the exploitation of not only physical but also mental capacities to the limits of human capabilities. The rise in anxiety and depression under these conditions leads to a loss of mental health," states the General Confederation of Trade Unions in its statement for World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
Trade unions must contribute to the fight against this global pandemic of cognitive disorders, believes the GCTU. This year should mark the starting point for finding comprehensive solutions to prevent such factors. It is no coincidence that the International Labour Organization has chosen the motto for 2026: "Ensure a healthy psychosocial work environment!" Additionally, 2026 has been declared the Year of Health in the Commonwealth of Independent States. In its statement, the GCTU called on the trade unions of the CIS countries to actively participate in events within these initiatives, with an agenda focused on protecting the psychosocial health of workers across the CIS.
The full text of the statement can be found here: Statement of the General Confederation of Trade Unions on World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
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