News
11th November, 2020
Worksafe review into bullying at Ambulance Victoria
Yesterday the Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) and Professionals Australia (PA) met with WorkSafe Victoria to discuss examples of workplace bullying at Ambulance Victoria (AV).
As previously reported, the VAU has been inundated with examples of inappropriate behaviour, bullying, harassment, and discrimination from members. Examples have come from student observers, current employees, and retired employees of Ambulance Victoria (AV).
This issue will be examined through an enquiry by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) who will examine sexual harassment and discrimination at AV.
However, it is vitally important that the issue of workplace bullying and the systems of work that enable this behaviour to be perpetrated is thoroughly examined in detail.
We are pleased to inform members that WorkSafe will also be conducting a review into bullying within AV and will be working with VEOHRC, the VAU and PA to examine these issues in detail.
The VAU has been asked to provide a list of workplaces that have reported bullying issues which have not been dealt with effectively.
WorkSafe also encouraged us to stress to members that the HSCS system can be used to report bullying matters. Bullying is a health and safety issue, and you are within your rights to report this behaviour to your Health and Safety Representative (HSR) and discuss bullying at OHS committee meetings.
The VAU continues to receive an overwhelming number of examples of bullying, harassment, and inappropriate behaviour from members. We would like to thank the many members who have shared very personal and distressing details of their experiences with the VAU.
In Solidarity