THE government must take workers’ suicides and mental health more seriously, CWU members said today.

Delegates at the union’s Bournemouth conference demanded that workplace suicide be recognised in legislation and that the government review the 1983 Mental Health Act by 2020.

Currently British employers do not have to report workplace suicides as the law excludes them. This is not the case in countries such as France.

CWU national executive committee member Tracey Fussey said: “The mental health of the British workforce is in rapid deterioration.

“There is one suicide every two hours, yet it remains an issue not reflected in government legislation.”

Arguing in favour of improved mental health laws, CWU disabled members advisory committee member Peter Sharrocks said: “Mental health accounts for a quarter of all workers written off from work.

“£105 billion is lost to the UK economy due to mental health.

“The current Mental Health Act is not fit for purpose.”