Workplace Bullying Support Group

The Workers Health Centre is holding an information session for people who want to be involved in a pilot support group for victims of workplace bullying.

The session will be held at the Centre's premises, 12 Railway Street Lidcombe on Friday July 25 2003. From 4pm to 6pm.

The Centre's Director Peggy Trompf said, " Workplace bullying is a world wide problem which appears to be on the increase. Studies in the UK, Europe and the US have identified a range of intimidating behaviours that can result in serious long-term injury to workers."

"While bullying is often associated with physical or apprehended violence, it also appears in more subtle forms, such as leaving the victim out of consultations and even work social arrangements, unfair rostering arrangements, comments on a worker's physical appearance or their ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, pressure to work over long hours and a number of other factors," she said.

"At the Workers Health Centre, our doctors are seeing an increasing number of workers presenting with stress related symptoms due to the effects of intimidation and bullying. Symptoms can range from sleep disturbance, high blood pressure, nausea, gut problems to suicidal thoughts, major depression and heart problems", said Ms Trompf

"One of the main problems is that there is not a lot of places for these workers to go. Those in unionised jobs can get help from organisers and welfare officers, and there are some legal measures that can be explored...but the blunt facts are that it is easier to get justice and compensation for a workplace injury like a broken leg, than what it is to have, what I'd call an "organisational injury", to be recognised and given credence to. This is why the Workers Health Centre has decided to start a support group for bullied workers".

"We hope the support group will be an opportunity for workers in these situations to feel that they are not alone, nor are they 'weak' or 'inadequate'", said Ms Trompf.

Workers interested in attending the information session are asked to ring the Centre on ph: 02 9749 7666 to register beforehand.

For further information contact Denise Mowbray on ph: 02 9749 7666

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:33 EST