Why Unions Need a Mental Health Helpline

Mental health is a workplace issue, a family issue, a safety issue, and a union issue. When members are struggling, it can affect attendance, safety, relationships, job performance, substance use, and long-term well-being.

A helpline gives unions a practical, compassionate way to respond. It shows members that their union is not only there for contracts, wages, and benefits, it is there for the whole person.

Your members and their families need this

At Backline we are passionate about member mental health. We consistently see that when members have easy, quick, and effective access to mental and social health resources there is a generational difference made. The trades see a 74.4% higher rate for addiction and substance abuse than the general population. This statistic alone is jarring, but when we pair it with how this affects families, children, and partners, it becomes an even more frightening reality.

We know that having Adverse Childhood Experiences (also called ACES) increases the risk of health disorders as adults. Health issues like cancer, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, high blood pressure, and respiratory diseases are all tied to having multiple ACES.

At Backline, we know that this is avoidable and even possible to reverse. When our members, who likely experienced several ACES growing up themselves, get the help they need, not only do they have the opportunity to reverse the course their experiences could drive, we prevent the next generation from having to experience the same pain.

We help answer the “where would I even begin” question your members have.

The most frequent topics we see

  • Support after a job site incident, death, overdose, or traumatic event

  • Thoughts of suicide or concern about someone else

  • Substance use, relapse concerns, or recovery support

  • Family conflict, divorce, parenting stress, or grief

  • Financial stress and job-related pressure

  • Workplace conflict, bullying, trauma, or harassment

  • Help finding treatment, benefits, or community resources

  • Stress, burnout, anxiety, or depression

  • Guidance for union leaders supporting a member in crisis

We are able to

  • Interview therapists in order to effectively pair members with a therapist who best fits their mental health concerns

  • Help the member utilize the existing health insurance or EAP

  • Help members find the right resources for job insecurity through union accurate channels

  • Find resources for members regarding housing and transportation insecurity

  • Work directly with addiction and rehab treatment centers to make sure members get the help they need and get to back to work

  • Simply offer a listening ear to those who need one

We know what works

A resource only works if members trust it. The helpline is designed to be approachable, confidential, and practical. Members can call before they are in crisis, after a hard day, when they are worried about someone else, or when they simply do not know where to start.

We are made up of Masters Level Clinicians with licenses in Professional Counseling and Social Work. We are have the skillset and training members are needing for whole person case management. We work to ensure every person gets every resource they need to be successful in their treatment. We emphasize confidentially, ease of use, non-judgment, and being trades specific. 

 Success Stories


“Backline found me a therapist when I could barely get myself off the floor. I had tried calling a bunch of people but never got help until Backline got involved. They interviewed therapists for me and make sure I would like them. I finally got help for my depression and don’t feel suicidal for the first time in 10 years.”

— Randal, 57, Washington