Ending violence at work

Two new organisations sign up to UNISON’s charter

Victim Support UK and ACCESS for Living have become the latest third sector organisations to sign up to UNISON’s End Violence at Work Charter.

The charter is a campaign to get employers in the Community sector (charities and housing associations) to take violence against staff seriously.  It follows concerns raised by UNISON members that some employers were telling staff to “put up with” being assaulted at work because it was “part of the job”.

The charter specifies 10 simple steps, covering training, prevention and support which all employers should be able to take, showing they take violence against their employees seriously.

Victim Support and Access for Living are the 45th and 46th employers to sign up. Many major UK charities have already signed, including Action for Children, RNIB and WM Housing Group.

UNISON believes every third sector organisation should be able to sign up.

Three UK councils – Liverpool, mid-Suffolk and Southwark – have also made signing the charter part of their commissioning process, showing they expect service providers seeking contracts to sign up to the charter.

UNISON hopes more councils will follow them.

Find out more about the charter.

Victim Support UK

Access for Living