Bullying survey to help fill information vacuum

By

Joan Lemaire

Members' experiences vital to campaign for dignity and respect in the workplace.

The survey developed by a research team from the University of New England was finalised during the October school vacation and mailed to a random sample of over 5500 members in week two of this term. The random sample was designed to include members in all classifications and in permanent, temporary and casual forms of employment.

Federation keeps records of members' calls reporting workplace bullying to our Communications Centre and to Organisers, and provides advice and support. We are aware, however, that many teachers who may be victims of workplace bullying may not report their situation. Some teachers may feel distressed and hurt by a range of behaviours such as verbal abuse, put-downs and derogatory jokes, but may not at first identify this as bullying behaviour. This is because similar behaviour may be directed at many people in the workplace.

Others may be afraid that complaining about bullying behaviour could be perceived as an indication that they are overly sensitive or not a strong person. Some people are afraid that if they complain about bullying behaviour they will be the target of further intimidation. Others may be concerned that the Department of Education and Training's (DET's) policies and procedures will not resolve their situation or prevent further bullying.

Even worse, if people believe that bullying behaviour is condoned, and/or practised by senior management of DET then it is unlikely they will complain because they may believe they will not be supported. So, to answer John Tapscott's question of whether there is any "hard data" on the number of teachers bullied in schools, posed in the last edition of Education ("Bullying must be cut off at the head", page 30), the simple answer is, no. Federation maintains records in our Communication Centre, as do Organisers and Welfare Officers. The Department also has records of complaints, although in my experience they rarely determine that bullying has occurred.

Federation commissioned the research team to provide an independent report using the definition of bullying set out in the Dignity and Respect in the Workplace Charter. The confidential survey provides respondents with the opportunity to indicate whether or not they have ever experienced bullying behaviour and to identify various types of behaviour. It also allows respondents to indicate their opinion on the effectiveness of the Department's policies and procedures on bullying.

Federation has pursued the issue of workplace bullying in a number of ways, including assisting in the development of the Dignity and Respect in the Workplace Charter, discussions with WorkCover, challenging the failure of DET to have a risk-management plan for bullying in the Industrial Relations Commission, as well as discussions centrally and at a local level with DET in relation to complaints of bullying. The research on bullying will assist us in our continuing campaign to ensure dignity and respect in public education workplaces.

Copies of Ms Lemaire's Eric Pearson Report, which discusses approaches to managing the risk of workplace bullying by public sector and education unions in the UK and Ireland, are available.

Joan Lemaire is the Senior Vice President

Assessing and managing the risk of psychological injury