Trade union involvement

Acas points out that a bullying and harassment policy will carry more weight if staff are involved in its development. Unions have a legitimate interest in eliminating bullying and harassment and should be fully consulted when policies and procedures are drawn up, says the TUC. Bullying and harassment are significant causes of stress at work and safety reps can use their legal rights to be consulted over policies and changes, investigate the issues, inspect the workplace and talk to members in confidence (see Chapters 3 and 4).