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only federal institute responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illnesses and injuries. As part of its mandate, NIOSH is directed by Congress to study the psychological aspects of occupational safety and health, including stress at work. NIOSH works in collaboration with industry, labor, and universities to better understand the stress of modern work, the effects of stress on worker safety and health, and ways to reduce stress in the workplace.²²

AWARENESS OF DISCRIMINATION AND PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND EMPLOYMENT

The U.S. federal government has a prominent role to play in the ADA's implementation and in generating national support for and awareness of mental health issues and employment. The law requires federal enforcement. Technical assistance and research are needed to guide and inform implementation. The ADA requires EEOC to enforce Title I, issue guidelines and regulations, and provide technical assistance. Several other federal agencies, NIDRR, CMHS, NIMH and the President's Committee, have supported technical assistance efforts concerning psychiatric disabilities and employment. The federal government is using these agencies to support efforts to create awareness and sensitivity regarding discrimination based on psychiatric disabilities.

The role of workers' and employers' organizations

To successfully change, design, and implement new policies and programs specific to the mental health issues of employees and, ultimately, ameliorate the economic burden of depression requires a combined effort by unions, workers and employers.

Today, unions represent approximately 13.9% of the U.S. workforce. This is down sharply from 35% in the 1950s. The decline in unionized companies is due, in part, to globalization as companies continue to close unionized factories and move overseas for lower costs including wages and benefits for workers. During the last ten years, the U.S. explosion in jobs has been in small business and high technology where unions have had minimal impact. Corporate America and its allies in the U.S. Congress continue to propose hostile legislation.²³ Recent trends, however, indicate that union membership is on the increase. For example, the service employees' union is expected to see its membership increase in 1999 by almost 200,000, to 1.3 million.²⁴ Whatever the trends in union membership, unions have had and continue to have significant impact on policy and legislation affecting workers and employees.

Literature from unions such as the broad-based AFL-CIO, illustrates their involvement in advocating for workers with disabilities.²⁵ In many cases, this involvement predates the Americans with Disabilities Act. Most of the union advocacy has been associated with physical disabilities, particularly work related physical injuries. However, with the increase in stress induced workers' compensation claims, there has been a growing recognition of mental health issues, and particularly of the impact of workplace violence on the mental health of employees.²⁶

 

UNION ADVOCACY FOR DISABILITIES

The following are examples of union advocacy for disabilities which would have included psychiatric disabilities: