A charter aimed at preventing bullying at work was announced today with the support of three of the country’s largest trade representative groups.
The Dignity in the Workplace Charteris one of the key recommendations from the taskforce on the prevention of bullying established in September 1999.
The report found 7 per cent of those in the workforce had been bullied during the previous six months.
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade, & Employment Mr Tom Kitt today called on every business in the country to adopt the charter.
He welcomed the backing of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation and the Construction Industry Federation.
Adoption of the charter is voluntary, however.
Mr Kitt urged "every employer and business-practitioner in the country" to endorse the charter, which he said was a "public declaration to have a workplace free of bullying".
Mr Kitt also said last year’s 1.1 million working days lost due to work-related injury and ill health was as much the fault of the "psycho-social hazards of workplace stress and bullying" as any physical hazards.