Dignity and respect in the workplace

Bullying among teachers needs attention, writes FRANK BARNES.

The Labor Council of NSW (Unions NSW) recently launched its Workplace Charter on Workplace Bullying. The preamble states "everyone in the workplace, irrespective of their position deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. No one should suffer bullying or harassment while going about their work. This can put at risk the health, safety and wellbeing of all employees. This organisation has therefore adopted a policy of 'zero tolerance' to bullying and harassment at work". At the same time as the charter was launched Federation Organisers were reporting an increase in the number of cases of bullying being reported by teachers within the workplace. While most of the reports were about people in executive positions abusing their power there were other cases of classroom teachers bullying colleagues. The irony of this is that many of the schools that have been reporting these cases are conducting anti-bullying campaigns in their schools in regard to the students.

Following a meeting of the Organisers a small committee of Officers met to discuss where Federation should go with what seems to be an increasing problem. There needs to be an awareness-raising campaign; there needs to be discussions with the Department at the highest levels and at local levels; information must be sent to schools to stimulate discussion and the Federation needs to update all relevant policies. With a wider understanding of occupational health and safety there is an increased awareness of the rights of people in the workplace. The problem within the Department of Education and Training is that the culture of fear has become the norm and systemic bullying has become an accepted practice with many teachers too afraid to question the unacceptable actions of others.

In the late 1970s and 1980s Federation spent a lot of time developing and promulgating policies of democracy in schools and democratic decision making in schools. These policies looked at things like staff meetings, and relationships with parents and students. In the 1990s, with a big change in school culture, a process called the Heagney process was developed, but with the massive workload that teachers now encounter and the increased accountability that all schools are expected to provide, democratic decision making seems to have been sidestepped and bullying and harassment is quite often the easy and quick solution. This is not satisfactory and needs to be addressed.

Bullying in the workplace is not acceptable in any form. You should not tolerate it and you should tell a bully to cease their actions. If they do not then you must seek further advice from your Federation Representative and/or your Organiser. If you would like a copy of the Labor Council Charter contact your Organiser or visit http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/safety_reps/files/charter_final.pdf.

Defining bullying

To help you understand these are some of the definitions from the Labor Council Workplace Charter:

Dignity and respect

"Dignity and respect" requires an organisation to have and maintain a certain behavioural culture.

Bullying

Workplace bullying, or harassment, is repeated unreasonable behaviour directed toward an employee, or group of employees, that creates a risk to health and safety.

Within this definition:

"Repeated" refers to the persistent nature of the behaviour, not the specific form the behaviour takes. Behaviour is considered 'repeated' if an established pattern can be identified. It may involve a series of diverse incidents -- for example verbal abuse, deliberate damage to personal property et cetera.

"Unreasonable behaviour" means behaviour that a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would expect to victimise, humiliate, undermine or threaten. "...having regard to all the circumstances" does not mean that this hypothetical person has total knowledge of every aspect of the situation. Rather this person knows as much as the alleged bully could reasonably be expected to know.

"Behaviour" includes actions of individuals or a group, and may involve using a system of work as a means of victimising, humiliating, undermining or threatening.

"Risks to health and safety" includes risk to the mental or physical health of the employee.

Further information is available on the OH&S CD Rom which you Fed Rep should have; or look up the website www.unionsafe.labor.net.au

Frank Barnes is an Organiser in Western Sydney and is one of Federation's longest standing delegates to Labor Council (Unions NSW).

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November 2004 contents