Stress in the not for profit sector workplace will come under the microscope as Unite launches a campaign which will involve more than 2,500 of its reps surveying their members.

Unite, the largest union in the country, announced the launch of its year-long campaign to eradicate stress today, 28 April which is also International Workers' Memorial Day.

Recent Unite research revealed that more than 90% of voluntary sector staff feel their well-being is being undermined due to the financial crisis facing charities.

Rachael Maskell, Unite national officer, Not for Profit Sector, said: 'Stress in the workplace is like a modern day plague - it is virulent and can strike at any time, any place and is indiscriminate as to who its victim is.'

'The object of the campaign, which will culminate with a national conference, probably in November, is to give the workplace activists representing our 60,000 members in the not for profit sector, the tools to take up the issues of stress with management.'

Unite's aims are to:

• fully understand what is happening in the workplaces

• reinforce the message to employers that they have legal obligations to manage and prevent workplace stress

• put in 'best practice' policies and procedures which will help to manage and prevent workplace stress and ensure that staff with work-related stress are provided with appropriate support

• ensure that these polices are implemented effectively.

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