MANY public service workers feel rather beleaguered. Already demoralised and with a pay cap, the latest evidence pointing to a significant rise in verbal abuse and physical assaults on workers only add to existing workplace stress.
Even if the latest findings of public service union UNISON’s annual Violence at Work survey can partially be put down to increased awareness and improved reporting, the figures still make for worrying reading.
A cursory glance at previous reports shows that a steady increase in cases continues. In all, violent attacks have more than doubled. This is not a localised problem, with a clear picture emerging of an increase in attacks in Glasgow, Edinburgh Dundee, Fife, Lanarkshire and elsewhere in Scotland. The latest survey returns show that, in the four months to October, there were 42,421 assaults, an increase of 1,255 compared with the overall figure of 41,166 in the 2016 survey.
Local government assaults alone have risen by some 4,401 cases while, in health boards, there has been an increase of 2,054 from previous surveys. In much the same way that customers are entitled to courtesy and respect so, too, are public service workers. Attacks on those frontlines staff whose job it is to help us are never acceptable.
Perhaps one of the most discomfiting aspects of the findings is that they do not take into account many public service employees for whom there is insufficient data. This suggests the figures are probably even higher. Firefighters are not included, given that Scottish Fire and Rescue has not provided data for the past three years. The number of injuries due to assaults on police officers was 922.
While legislation in the shape of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act in 2005 is welcome, there remains concerns that its narrow focus on “blue-light” workers provides protection to predominantly male groups of workers rather than nurses, care workers and classroom assistants, who are mainly female.
This, say union officials, makes the existing problem not just one of employee safety but one of equal opportunities. There are concerns, too, regarding those workers among the community and voluntary sector who remain very vulnerable. So many of the sectors at the sharp end of abuse and attacks already face enormous challenges as to recruitment and maintaining staffing levels.
Evidence of increasing verbal and physical attacks becoming an occupational hazard will do nothing to encourage retaining staff. What then is to be done? There is no simple solution to this problem and improvements can only be made by the involvement of employers, trades unions and government. While levels of increased awareness must be maintained so must efforts be renewed in tailoring legislation to protect those who need it most. It is all very well to talk of zero tolerance but, for some, the acceptance of violence against public service staff can sadly remain the norm.
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