DELEGATES at the CWU conference have unanimously backed the introduction of “postvention” into Royal Mail workplaces where comrades have been lost to suicide.

The motion was tabled by the North East Division today after a wave of suicides in the region.

Arguing that Royal Mail management’s lack of training, experience, or in some cases sympathy, had magnified the impact on colleagues, South Yorkshire Division’s Andy Kipley told conference: “Royal Mail has no specific process to deal with the loss of an employee through suicide.

“What we suggest is the introduction of postvention to workplaces that have lost a colleague, with support such as trauma counselling and specialised counselling.”

Calling for CWU training, South Central Division’s Chris Ebbs added: “One April 11, I said goodbye to my work colleague as I always do at 2 o’clock. By 3 o’clock this colleague had died after he took his own life.

“This happened only five weeks ago.

“His name was Mark Russell, he was 59, he was a father, a husband, a colleague, a friend and a union rep.

“The devastation this has caused in our office, no-one can comprehend.”