$10,000 Fine For Radio Bully

A Victorian radio announcer who slapped, verbally abused and threatened his colleagues has been silenced with a $10,000 fine.

The decision is believed to be the first conviction for verbal bullying in Victoria.

Reginald David Mowat, 34, was working for Radio Ballarat where he continually lost his temper with workmates, Ballarat Magistrates' Court was told.

Mr Mowat, of Ballarat, pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to care for the health and safety of others in the workplace and wilfully placing at risk other people in the workplace.

The news comes as WorkCover NSW has called for a bigger fine to be imposed on directors of a company prosecuted over a bullying incident earlier this year.

The NSW Chief Industrial Magistrate handed down a $1,000 fine to directors of a Lidcombe joinery firm after an asthmatic 16-year-old labourer had his mouth filled alternately with sawdust and glue and was left on a trolley resting near a four metre drop for half an hour,

WorkCover has now appealed to the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW, saying that the penalty imposed on the directors is too lenient

Meanwhile the Adelaide City Council is set to deal with bullying following an internal review.

The council has undertaken to monitor the workplace for signs of bullying and to act immediately to deal with bullying issues.

The decision is part of the council's new Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare guidelines, adopted last week.

Bullying Survey

in response to the growing issue of bullying the NSW Labor Council is currently conducting a survey.

The peak union body has received hundreds of responses in the first week of issuing a survey form to unions.

Copies of the survey form can be obtained by calling Dan Walton at the NSW Labor Council on 9264 1691.

To discuss this and many other interesting OH & S topics visit our discussion boards at http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/shoptalk/

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:34 EST