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BCGEU fights for bully-free workplaces

This week the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) was in the print and broadcast news talking about workplace bullying.

Vancouver (03 Feb 2012) - Respect in the workplace is a cornerstone of the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union's (BCGEU/NUPGE) work and it is taken very seriously.

Over the years, BCGEU/NUPGE has taken on the issue in numerous ways. Campaigns to educate members and management in workplaces made negotiated collective agreement language a reality in a number of agreements.

"We’re trying to get anti-bullying language in ALL our collective agreements. In 2010, we negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (#13) in our master agreement. It outlines the process for handling bullying complaints in the B.C. Government. This year, we’re back at the bargaining table determined to strengthen this anti–bullying language," says BCGEU president Darryl Walker in a recent blog post.

Right now, the union is working to resolve a number of member complaints involving the public service. Twenty-three complaints involve misuse of authority, where a boss misuses authority and three involve worker-to-worker bullying.

Bullying in the workplace is a difficult and complex issue that requires constant attention and a workplace culture that encourages our members to speak out. The premier has indicated bullying is a serious matter.

February 29, 2012 is Pink Shirt Day (anti-bullying awareness campaign). The BCGEU/NUPGE has updated its fact sheet about workplace bullying.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE