Comments by Minister Tony Killeen at the National Conference on Workplace Bullying 2005

Comments by Minister for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen at the National Conference on Workplace Bullying 2005 in the Burlington Hotel on Tuesday 4^th October 2005

I welcome the opportunity to address this Conference on Workplace bullying and am particularly pleased to be associated with it given that on 17^th August last, I launched the Report of the Expert Advisory Group on Workplace Bullying.

At the launch, I welcomed the recommendations of the Expert Group, and since then I have opened consultations with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) and other interested parties in order to decide how best to implement the Group’s recommendations. This is a good opportunity for me to mention that any interested parties here can download the Report free of charge from my Department’s website and by means of an email link thereon, forward their views on how best to implement the Report’s Recommendations.

I am pleased to say that the principles laid down by the Expert Group will underpin future consideration of the issue by the Government, as anything less is not acceptable in a fair, safe and equitable workplace.

These principles are:

• Workplace bullying is unacceptable in all circumstances,

• It is the responsibility of management to ensure that bullying is not tolerated at the workplace, and that,

• Incidents of bulling are adequately dealt with and brought to a fair and conclusive resolution in a timely fashion.

The Group in its Report determined that:

• Workplace bullying is an increasing problem. Whether this is due to an increase in the incidence of bullying or an increasing awareness of the unacceptability of bullying behaviour is not clearly demonstrable. However, the end result is the same – increased numbers of complaints, higher levels of workplace stress, great frustration with a lack of formal channels for resolving such complaints and an increased burden on all parties to resolve disputes. Indeed, I note that this Conference, is intended for among others, those interested in improving the workplace environment for which they are responsible, as well as individuals whose lives have been affected by workplace bullying.

The Group also found that:-

• Workplace bullying is not a “normal” industrial relations issue.

• Existing measures to tackle the problem are insufficient.

• Responsibility for tackling the problem is diffuse. Clarity of process and resolution is required.

• The impact of bullying on the individual is such that immediate action on the part of employers and the State is called for.

• The key recommendation of the Group is that legislation be brought forward to deal with workplace bullying. This legislation should apply to all employees in the workforce, irrespective of employment status. I hope to bring proposals to Government with regard to how best to implement the Recommendations of the Group within as short a timescale as possible.

The model proposed by the Group, which, the Group consider, will require new legislation to implement, includes requirements that:

• Procedures for dealing with incidents of bullying at the workplace be a mandatory requirement in the safety statements of all employers,

• Following the consultation process with the Social Partners and interested parties, I intend bringing forward legislative proposals to Government. In the meantime, I will shortly be advertising for tenders from those interested in conducting a follow up survey on workplace bullying - similar to the survey conducted for the last report on this subject, published in 2001 in order to obtain an up-to-date picture, including the effect of the various arrangements put in place since 2001. This should assist in determining the true incidence of bullying in the workplace.

• I am anxious to build on the work already done by the Group in order to deal with gaps in the current regime. The biggest gap relates to getting a fair, consistent system available to all where bullying is an issue, without repercussion, taking appropriate action where these systems are lacking and gaining appropriate and effective closure for victims regarding allegations of bullying.

• The 2001 survey showed a 7% figure of workers had experienced bullying. Even if the percentage remains the same, numerically it is now higher. Hopefully, the updated research will give an uptodate picture in this regard. It is most important that steps are taken to reduce and remove the risk of bullying to all workers. This can only be achieved by an anti-bullying regime which has the force of law.

ENDS

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