26 Jan 2004
Trade Unions, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), safety organisations and Ministers met in Glasgow today to challenge workplace violence.
Speaking at the STUC conference on violence at work, Scotland Office Minister Anne McGuire made the call for companies to develop a policy to tackle the problem.
She said:
"Everyone has the right to go about their daily work without the fear of physical assault or the intimidation of verbal abuse. Violence in any shape or form has a damaging effect on people's lives, as well as on their businesses and particularly on their families.
"There will still be some companies who have not yet developed a policy on tackling work-related violence and I would urge them to do so. Violent behaviour is unacceptable and is a growing problem in our society. It does not have to be tolerated nor indeed should it be.
"Some organisations have clear policies on tackling violence. A good example is the NHS zero tolerance campaign which aims to show the public that violence is unacceptable and that it will be firmly dealt with. I urge companies to take note of positive examples, and to give a commitment to developing their own policies to address violence in the workplace."
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS
1. The Health and Safety Commission is committed to tackling the problem, having set a target in 2000 to reduce the number of incidents of violence at work by the end of 2003. Later on this month the HSE will be submitting plans for the next phase in 2004 - 2006.
2. Trade unions are actively engaging with employers to highlight and combat the problem of violence in the work place within their specific sectors.