A demoralized person is much less productive with the bully or confronting the person on and engaged. Many bullied workers ultimately your own. Stay calm and do not argue with the give up and leave their jobs and professions bully. The union and your steward or building because they “can’t take it anymore.” Does Your representative can help assess the situation and Work Culture Measure Up? give you advice and tips on using the contract and other agency/department policies to stop Think about the culture at your agency or the abuse. Your union representatives may worksite. A good work environment should suggest that they accompany you to meetings set implicit standards or codes of professional with management to investigate the bullying and behavior. The AFT believes that every government work toward a resolution. entity should have a bullying policy that includes a code of conduct. Remember that if you are being bullied, you probably are not alone. Encourage other A code of conduct alone is not enough to colleagues and co-workers who are being bullied eliminate bullying; legal prohibitions are to contact the union, too. needed. No states have adopted comprehensive workplace bullying laws, but at least two counties—Hennepin County, Minn., and Fulton County, Ga.—have taken the lead in putting strong policies in place. Both counties have policies that prohibit employee bullying and identify reporting mechanisms for investigating and resolving issues without threat of retaliation against victims.

Contact Your Union you have a right to respect and dignity at work. Workplace bullying cannot and should not be tolerated. Randi Weingarten If you are being bullied, don’t suffer in silence. president Seek help from your doctor and/or an employee assistance program to address any bullying- Lorretta Johnson Respect and related health problems. Give the doctor secretary-treasurer detailed information about the situation at work Dignity at Work that may be contributing to your symptoms Francine Lawrence so he or she can give you concrete advice on executive vice president No-Bullying Zone For Public Employees how to control how the bullying affects you. Track your symptoms and bullying incidents You have a right to respect and dignity with dates and times. You and your union may need that documentation to make a case for at work. Workplace bullying cannot change.Contact your union. Avoid being alone and should not be tolerated. Examples of bullying include: Health Effects of Bullying •• Unwarranted or invalid criticism; workers who try to cope or adapt to bullying conditions in silence may pay a big price with •• Repeated unsubstantiated attacks on a their health. The problem is worse when the person’s professional conduct; bully recruits other staff to participate in the •• Constant assignment of trivial behavior; with little or no support, victims tasks;Assignments with unrealistic or become even more stigmatized and isolated. impossible deadlines; Research has shown that targets of work-related •• Setting up a person to fail by overloading bullying experience significant physical and federal and state laws offer no protection him or her with work; mental health problems, including: against workplace bullying unless it is related to •• Blame or discipline without factual •• High stress, much like post-traumatic stress sexual harassment, or racial, ethnic, religious or justification; age discrimination. Very few states have policies disorder. Unresolved, chronic stress causes on employee bullying or harassment. Without •• Treatment that is different from other physical changes in the brain that can lead clear direction and boundaries, managers, colleagues or co-workers; to depression. Stress is also linked with high supervisors and co-workers may—intentionally •• Swearing at a worker; blood pressure and heart disease; or not—cross the line and bully employees. •• Exclusion or social isolation; •• Reduced self-esteem; • Musculoskeletal problems; It’s time we recognize unacceptable bullying •• Shouting at or humiliating a worker; • behavior at work and the culture that permits •• Making a worker the target of practical jokes; •• Phobias; the practice. Employers have skirted the issue and •• Sleep disturbances; by obliquely referring to such behaviors as •• Excessive monitoring. “inappropriate management style” or “poor •• Digestive problems; leadership qualities.” But let’s call it what it is— •• Financial problems due to absence; and Bullies rarely mistreat staff in isolation; they bullying—and work together to stop it. •• Family problems. create a culture of bullying throughout the One way you can help is to talk to your steward workplace. Typically, an environment of fear and or union representative if you are being bullied intimidation develops that discourages trust, cooperation and teamwork. Bullying managers or have witnessed bullying. Sample Code of Conduct commonly set unreasonable goals and berate In our worksite, we: What Is Workplace Bullying? workers when those goals are not met. They may publicly deny that their demands are •• Treat each other with respect; workplace bullying is quite simply an abuse unreasonable, or that the stress created by this or misuse of power. Bullying behavior is easy environment is harmful for achieving the goals •• Work with colleagues to to recognize. It is behavior that intimidates, of the agency. achieve goals; degrades and offends a person, often in front of others. A person who is the target of a bullying •• Maintain high standards of Bullying behavior on the part of managers manager, supervisor or co-worker often work and behavior; and and co-workers is likely to be witnessed by feels defenseless and demoralized. A bullied colleagues, clients, patients and taxpayers. •• Promote the values and aims individual may be singled out by the bully for of the agency/department. constant criticism with no concrete or positive guidance and support for improvement.