ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the important role the unions play in reducing the occurrence and impact of bullying at work. The TUC and its affiliated unions’ work on stress identified the fact that bullying was one of the major causes of stress at work. In the words of the campaigning journalist Andrea Adams (1992), workplace bullying is ‘offensive behaviour through vindictive, cruel, malicious or humiliating attempts to undermine an individual or group of employees’. Andrea Adams went on to describe workplace bullying as:
These definitions have been widely accepted throughout the trade union movement. The TUC’s view that workplace bullying is a health and safety issue is fully explained in the chapter, as is the need to develop effective organisational policies and procedures aimed at reducing the likelihood of bullying occurring. Where bullying has occurred, the approaches that are required to reduce any further distress are described, as is the role of the union representatives in supporting the employee throughout all the stages of investigation and possible legal action.
