Workplace Law Change

The new occupational health and safety legislation introduced earlier this year addresses bullying for the first time.

It will be launched today at a special workplace delegates meeting.

More than 500 workplace health and safety representatives will attend a training session in Penrith to learn about the changes to the new Unionsafe materials.

One of the main issues covered by these changes to the laws is violence in the workplace.  Examples of violent acts include armed robbery, malicious damage to property of staff, written abuse and threats or verbal abuse and threats made in person or over the phone.

And bullying is explicitly addressed by the new legislation.

The Daily Telegraph Friday November 22, 2002

Bosses told to stamp out bullies

Sherrill Nixon - Workplace Reporter

The NSW Labor Council will launch a campaign against workplace bullying today after employers were made legally responsible for stamping out violence under new occupational health and safety laws.

As reports of bullying by managers and co-workers increase, a new regulation obliges employers to take steps to eliminate violence in the workplace, including psychological hazards.

It is the first time the duty has been laid out so explicitly, Workers Health Centre director Peggy Trompf said yesterday.

"The new regulation actually says that the employer should protect the employees from violence at work.  It's the first time they have used that word (violence)," Ms Trompf said.

The Lidcombe-based centre has experienced a steady rise in the number of complaints about workplace bullying in recent years, from only a handful a year in 1996 to about 30 a year now.

An ACTU study in 2000 estimated that 350,000 Australians were subjected to long-term bullying, while 2.5 million people would experience some type of bullying over the course of their working lives.

Just over half of the survey's respondents said intimidating behaviour, such as shouting at, ordering and belittling people, happened in their workplace.

"It does appear that from both national and international research it is on the increase," Ms Trompf said.

"And the other thing is, because they are recognizing it's a problem, people are beginning to talk more about it."

Ms Trompf has helped prepare a series of guidelines on workplace bullying that will be launched at a workplace safety conference today.

The guidelines include types of bullying behaviour, including social isolation, verbal abuse and constant surveillance, the effects of violence and advice to workers about how they can prevent it.

More than 500 workplace delegates will be briefed, at the conference, on their role in reducing the incidence of bullying.

The Labor Council secretary, John Robertson, said all workers deserved the opportunity to carry out their work free from intimidation and harassment.

Sydney Morning Herald Friday November 22, 2002