Speech by Mr. Tom Kitt, T.D., Minister for Labour Affairs at the Launch of Eircom policy and Code of Practice on Dignity and the Prevention of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace

Wednesday 28^th November 2001

Ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you for inviting me to launch the Eircom Policy and Code of Practice on Dignity and the Prevention of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace.

As employers, business practitioners and employees we have become relatively used to the concept of addressing sexual harassment, and obviously that is not to say that the scourge of such harassment has been fully eliminated, but it has been recognised as a totally unacceptable practice in any workplace. What we must now take on board the fact that harassment, discrimination and bullying in any form, and towards any individual, are also unacceptable work practices and need to be both prevented and addressed.

There are so many social, cultural and economic changes taking place in Ireland at this time, and while the introduction of the Employment Equality Act, 1998, and the Equal Status Act, 2000, have greatly strengthened Ireland's anti-discrimination laws and have given us one of the most advanced equality codes in the European Union, there is no doubt that the increased diversity of races and cultures in Ireland has brought it's own challenges. At all levels of society, respect for the dignity and individuality of others must be of paramount importance.

Bullying is, essentially, a form of discrimination and harassment which is derived from a lack of basic respect for the dignity of others. It is also, however, an issue about which there can be differing and diverse opinions. After assuming Ministerial responsibility for Labour Affairs, I realised that it was an issue which was attracting increasing concern from various quarters and, yet, it had not been the subject of a comprehensive examination at national level. That is why I set up the Task Force on the Prevention of Workplace Bullying. Their report, which I launched earlier this year, is an excellent, well-balanced pioneering document which offers a clear focus on the issue of workplace bullying.

The title of the Task Force Report is Dignity at Work – The Challenge of Workplace Bullying and this concept of dignity was carried through to the Dignity in the Workplace Charter, which I launched last month. The development of the Charter arose directly out of the recommendations of the Task Force. The purpose of the Charter is to facilitate the management and the staff in any, and every, employment in this Country to make a public commitment to provide a workplace free of bullying, and to develop and maintain a workplace atmosphere where the inherent dignity of each individual is respected. This must become a core employment value. One of the main principles behind the Charter is that the importance of each individual, and the contribution that he or she makes to the success of the enterprise, must be emphasised and valued. I am now pleased to see that the concept of Dignity has also been taken on board in Eircom's Policy and Code of Practice.

The Eircom Policy and Code of Practice on Dignity and the Prevention of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace quite rightly acknowledges that harassment, bullying and sexual harassment have a negative effect not just on the individual, but also on the organisation as a whole. Any employer who is serious about his business needs to give this aspect serious consideration.

Indeed, the theme for the recent European Safety Week 2001 was “Accident Prevention”. It was highlighted under the banner “Success is No Accident” and the main aim was to demonstrate that good safety is good business. Preventing work-related accidents and ill-health not alone saves lives and reduces injuries and ill-health, but also, from a business perspective, saves time and money. It is worth remembering that in 2000, a total of 1.1 million working days were lost as a result of work-related injury and ill-health in this country. In fact, in the last 10 years less working days were lost through strikes than were lost through accidents and ill-health in the year 2000 alone. Such a statistic has to have a serious negative financial impact on the success and competitiveness of Irish businesses and it offers a strong and convincing argument for appropriate preventative action. This applies as much to the psycho-social hazards of workplace stress and bullying as it does to the more obvious traditional physical hazards.

I want to thank Eircom for their commitment to the most up-to-date best practice in relation to occupational welfare standards in undertaking this initiative and I know that you are already pro-actively supporting the initiative by providing relevant training to designated personnel.

I am aware, too, that you have sought, and received, advice and assistance from the Bullying Response Unit in the Health and Safety Authority and, in particular, from Patricia Murray who is the occupational psychologist in that Unit. I welcome and encourage this form of State and Business co-operation which will be of benefit to all of us in the long term.

I am also aware that Eircom's Policy was designed on a partnership basis. A partnership approach has permeated through the work of the Task Force itself which had full social representation and the development of the Dignity in the Workplace Charter which has been endorsed by IBEC, ICTU and the CIF. Therefore it is encouraging – and necessary - to see a partnership approach being undertaken at enterprise level. In the final analysis, notwithstanding the framework and support services put in place by the State, it is only when harassment, discrimination and bullying are tackled at the coalface of the workplace will such practices be adequately prevented and eliminated.

Thank you for your attention.