Trade unions and employers have backed a new initiative by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment designed to tackle bullying in the workplace.
The Dignity in the Workplace Charter was published yesterday by the Minister for Labour, Trade and Consumer Affairs, Mr Tom Kitt.
Mr Kitt said the charter's purpose was to facilitate management and staff of every employment in the State to make a public commitment to provide a workplace free of bullying, and to develop and maintain a workplace atmosphere where the inherent dignity of each individual was respected.
He called on every employer to adopt the charter and display it publicly in their place of work.
"As in society itself, there will be conflict, disagreement and differing attitudes, cultures and modes of behaviour in the workplace. When managed properly, this should not be a problem of its own accord, but where it leads to the infringement of the dignity of another person it does become a problem."
The charter is the result of recommendations made by the Task Force on the Prevention of Workplace Bullying, established in late 1999.
The task force commissioned a survey to ascertain the incidence of workplace bullying.
Some 7 per cent of those in the workforce said they had been bullied in the six months preceding the survey.
The task force found, however, that existing legislation was adequate to tackle bullying and said it would be "premature" to expand the comprehensive code of labour law.
Mr David Begg, general secretary of ICTU, said the charter reflected agreement among unions and employers that there was no place for bullies in Irish workplaces.