Breathe
By Aideé Zamorano
Let's talk about that elephant in the boardroom that everyone ignores but that weighs tons: workplace violence and mental illness in the workplace. It is not an easy topic, but it is a necessary one, and today I want to share with you why.
Before I continue, I want to emphasize that I am already running a legal process against my former employer. Speaking out on social networks is crucial, but it is not enough. We must bring our experiences before the competent authorities so that justice can be done and perhaps, from a distance, we can accompany more people who have remained silent.
ILO (International Labor Organization) Convention 190 came into force in Mexico on July 6 of this year, it protects interns, former employees, female employees and even candidates for interviews, but what happens when we still have not updated the labor laws? What happens when companies ignore it, justifying themselves with a lack of information? We have to make ourselves visible, I went to expose my case to the Mexican Senate, to demand our representatives to work on changes in Mexican regulations and you can do the same. Convention 190 recognizes violence and harassment in the world of work, it is a monumental step towards the dignity of workers in all sectors.
In my visit to the Senate on September 11, I also asked for a focus on updating the table of occupational diseases and accidents. The Chamber of Deputies has approved by consensus a significant update and it has already been forwarded to the Senate, it is a historic advance that not only includes COVID-19 among the infectious and parasitic pathologies, but also recognizes mental illnesses such as anxiety disorder, sleep disorders, stress and depression(same that I developed in my last formal work). The purpose is to strengthen the protection of workers against occupational diseases and accidents, solving a problem of five decades, since the table had not been updated since 1970.
If you are experiencing workplace violence and have had suicidal ideation, I urge you to file a complaint with the PROFEDET (Procuraduría Federal de la Defensa del Trabajo), you can initiate it online and even on WhatsApp. Start a legal process and do not stay silent. Your voice has power, and together we can change the system.
We can no longer ignore the impact of workplace violence on the mental health of workers. And yes, talking about suicide is uncomfortable, but it is necessary. If you need help, here are some numbers:
Línea de la Vida: 800-273-8255
Consejo Ciudadano para la Seguridad y Justicia: 55-5533-5533
Casa Gaviota: 55-5658-1111
Legislators: I ask you to enforce Convention 190 and update the table of occupational diseases. We cannot allow more lives to be lost or affected by negligence and inaction.
To see the full video of my visit to the Senate, I invite you to visit my YouTube channel.
Because we are alive! We want to be alive!
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of Opinion 51.
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