Complaints procedure

Ideally there should be a separate complaints procedure for dealing with bullying and harassment, not least because the harassment may be from the member’s line manager who is often the person a problem is raised with in the first instance in a grievance procedure. A general union Unite rep at publishers Dorling Kindersley told the Labour Research Department (LRD) that it was procedural to begin by meeting with the accused. As this was not suitable for harassment cases, the policy was rewritten. All managers are being given training so they know how to react if approached on bullying and harassment.

London Fire Brigade has specialist harassment investigators for particularly sensitive or complex investigations. Its harassment complaints procedure also outlines the role of contact officers for both complainants and accused, who are appointed in addition to an investigator. Both parties are also entitled to be accompanied by a support person, who must be a Brigade employee or union rep, when being interviewed or attending any other meetings during the course of the investigation.

The procedure needs to give bullies the opportunity to change their behaviour, particularly if they were unaware that their actions could be construed as bullying or harassment. Where this is not possible, more formal measures may be necessary. The complaints procedure should therefore include an informal and a formal stage.