UNISON members working in the third sector, are calling for urgent action to stem the growing tide of violence and aggression they are experiencing at work. Thousands of UNISON members in the sector are assaulted, abused and suffer debilitating injuries at work every year and the union is calling time – saying enough is enough.
Community service members, meeting for their annual conference in Manchester, are highlighting instances of catastrophic physical and psychiatric injuries that, in the worst case scenario, leave members unfit to work again. Motions to the conference echo the growing fears of workers who find feel that managers need to take more action to protect their staff.
Richard Hutt, a resident estates services officer for a housing association, was assaulted by a youth on the estate where he lives and works. He had complained about problems with anti-social youths and specifically fears for his own safety many times before the attack to management.
Richard said:
“Living on the estate I am the eyes and ears of what is going on. The day I was attacked I was litter picking around the estate when a lad came out of a block with a hood down over his face. He came up to me and sprayed deodorant into my eyes and then hit me over the head. We fell to the ground and he ran off. I needed stitches and I am still suffering with a painful elbow 2 years on, which makes movement painful.
“I was sure I knew who it was as I had spoken to some lads previously about bikes in the communal areas. What really upset me is that managers failed to download CCTV footage showing the attack and so no one was ever prosecuted for it.”
Quarriers* workers in Scotland report that violence and aggression is becoming common place and seen as part of the job.
Simon Watson from UNISON, said:
“Violence and aggression should never be seen as acceptable and part of the job. Our members work in some difficult situations, many work alone and others looking after people with very challenging behaviour. But it is not good enough for management to say that they should deal with it – they must put measures into place to protect staff as far as possible.
“We want a much more rigorous approach from managers to take positive action on prevention, support those who find themselves victims of aggression and to prosecute perpetrators where appropriate.”
Quotes from Quarriers workers:
- “Verbal aggression happens everyday and we have young people setting off fire extinguishers and bullying other residents.”
- “When people come back drunk or under the influence of drugs we tell them to go to their rooms and sober up – some take that as an excuse to scream and shout in your face and be very threatening.”
- “When you are on night duty and there are only 2 of you, I fear that it is only time before someone gets seriously hurt.”
- “Management need to do much, much more to follow up and there needs to be much better reporting of incidents.”
* Scottish charity Quarriers works with adult disability, children and families, supporting people with epilepsy and young adults
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