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date: 6 November 2006

embargo: 00.01hrs Tuesday 7 November 2006

Employers urged to tackle office bullies

Bullying is steadily increasing in UK workplaces, according to new figures released today (Tuesday) by the TUC to coincide with National Ban Bullying at Work Day.

Fifteen per cent of the union safety reps questioned in the latest TUC bi-annual survey of union safety reps said bullying was a major problem in their workplace. Two years ago, 12 per cent of reps raised bullying as a big concern and in 2002 only ten per cent had done so.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Bullying is bad for business and for people. Bullies in the workplace must not go unchallenged and should not be given free rein to intimidate and victimise their colleagues. For individuals who are targeted by the office bully, the taunting and the jibes can severely damage their work and their home lives.

'But bullying is not hard to tackle. Every workplace should have a policy which makes clear that intimidating behaviour towards colleagues will not be tolerated and that those who persist in undermining their fellow members of staff will be dealt with severely.

'Ban Bullying at Work Day is the perfect opportunity for employers to start to get to grips with this increasingly common workplace problem, and the introduction of a new Dignity at Work Bill would encourage employers to take the problem more seriously.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Ban Bullying at Work Day is organised by the Andrea Adams Trust.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 7 Nov 2006