An increases in reports of workplace bullying are becoming a focus of the anti-bullying campaign, as New Zealand moves towards the 5th annual Pink Shirt Day. Photo / File
An increases in reports of workplace bullying are becoming a focus of the anti-bullying campaign, as New Zealand moves towards the 5th annual Pink Shirt Day. Photo / File
Sharp increases in reports of workplace bullying are becoming a focus of the anti-bullying campaign, as New Zealand moves towards the 5th annual Pink Shirt Day on Friday.
Hamilton-based Culture Safe NZ founder Allan Halse says workplace bullying has become a major issue at a time when much of thefocus is on other bullying such as that in the schoolground or cyberspace.
He believes it has escalated since the 1991 implementation of the Employment Contracts Act, which stripped trade union authority. In 2009 figures showed at least 360,000 adults - 20 per cent of the work force - had been subject to bullying in the workplace, and he believes up-to-date research would show marked increases.
He says workplace bullying is a significant health and safety issue, and won't be resolved until treated as such.
It is treated as an employment issue, which employers often deny and try to identify as employment relationship issues and the problem of those complaining of being bullied.
Halse, who has been handling the Auckland morgue staff bullying allegations which emerged publicly a fortnight ago, said that even yesterday the Auckland District Health Board was still trying to get medical history from birth of the "whistleblower" - because it has no other defence.
He says there have also been employer attempts to get authorities to "shut-down" his organisation, which he says has dealt with 4-500 complaints of workplace bullying.
Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson says: "In the workplace, bullying harms workers' health, wellbeing and ability to do their job. We must work together to say no to bullying and to support each other on Pink Shirt Day and every day."
Trade union organisers say their workload is increasing because of the numbers of workplace bullying concerns, but their union leaders were unavailable to comment late yesterday.
Bullying-Free NZ Week started on Monday as an initiative of the Bullying Prevention Advisory Group. The main theme is New Zealand students with solutions - working together to end bullying.
