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date: 5 November 2008

embargo: 00.01hrs Friday 7 November

Economic downturn could lead to more bullying at work

The TUC today (Friday) marked Ban Bullying at Work Day by warning that the economic downturn could increase instances of bullying at work.

According to the TUC safety reps survey 2008, bullying was a concern at work for one in five safety reps (20 per cent) a 25 per cent increase since the 2006 survey (16 per cent). In 2004, 12 per cent of safety reps reported bullying as a concern at work.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Concerns about bullying at work have increased by 25 per cent since 2006. And as the economic downturn puts workers under greater strain, there is a danger that bullying could spread even further.

'There is simply no excuse for bullying at work. It can leave people traumatised, unable to work and unhappy after work, and harms office morale too. We urge employers to look at their working culture and policies to ensure that whenever bullying rears its head at work, it is stamped out straight away.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The Ban Bullying at Work campaign is founded by the Andrea Adams Trust and supported by the TUC. Further info can be found at www.andreaadamstrust.org

- The TUC safety reps survey can be found at www.tuc.org.uk/safetyrepssurvey2008. This is the seventh biennial TUC safety representatives' survey. 2,611 safety representatives responded to the questionnaire in the period May-June 2008.

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

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Ban Bullying at Work Media Enquiries:

Joanna Solino Tel: 01273 380 611 M: 07590 045 635 E: jo@banbullyingatwork.com

Charly Spry Tel: 020 8876 9447 M: 07702 271 115 E: charlyspry@supanet.com

TUC Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk

Press release (400 words) issued 7 Nov 2008