NSGEU Working Toward Bully-Free Workplaces featured in Japan February 2013

Report by Susan Coldwell, NSGEU Bully-Free Workplaces Coordinator Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT)
The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT), a research institute attached to the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare held an International Seminar on Workplace Bullying and Harassment in Tokyo February 27-28, 2013. The main purpose of the seminar was to share the situation and ideas on dealing with and responding to workplace bullying in selected countries. Invitees represented the EU & Finland, the UK, France-Belgium, Germany, SwedenNorway, the US, Canada, South Korea and Japan. A second objective of the seminar was to stimulate research activities and policy making in Japan. As part of this process the country representatives were requested to submit papers which have been printed as a JILPT report and posted on the website to encourage public debate. The invited presenters were Shino NaitoJapan, Sookyoung ParkSouth Korea, Martin WolmorathGermany, Loic Lerouge-France, Helge Hoel-UK,margaretha Strandmark-Norway, Maarit VartaVaaneven, Finland and representing the EU, David Yamato-the US and Susan ColdwellCanada and NSGEU. As invited presenters all costs associated with this event were covered by the JILPT. The opening speech by Mr. Yutaka Asao, clarified the JILPT invites researchers from around the globe for an international biennial seminar; and at this time workplace bullying and harassment is a closely watched issue and a policy concern. In Japan the term used is power harassment (Germany uses the term mobbing, France moral harassment, other EU countries, Korea, the US and Canada refer to bullying).

Left to right Helge Hoel, UK, Loic LeRouge, France, Maarit Vartia-Vaananen, EU and Finland, Martin Walmarath, Germany, and Shino Naito, JILPT.

I had the opportunity in conversation with Mr. Helge Hoel to say that his research influenced the development of the NSGEU program. At the present time he is involved in a fairness at work project in the UK and the points he touched on continue to align with the NSGEU program direction. He stressed the importance of developing a common language. Currently the terms harassment and bullying are used interchangeably and shouldnt be. Issues of harassment are covered under legislation in various ways, whereas bullying is a separate issue. He cited the importance of unions and governments collaborating on interventions that provide consistency, clear messaging, and definitions. According to Hoel, unions have a particular opportunity to take a pro-active role in creating a moral harassment framework in both the public and private sector. Hoel distinguished between conflict which is inevitable, even motivational, and bullying. Bullying results in personal diminishment and significant issues of shame which extend beyond the target, to the person who bullies and to the bystanders or witnesses. Intervention is prevention, however the question is one of sustainability; the ability to model change and to offer structure that normalizes positive behaviour and relationships.

As well as representatives from the JILPT, pictured above, observers came from Ua Zensen, Japans largest union, and I had opportunity to have conversations with people from the Ministry to Health, Labour and Welfare, researchers from Waseda University, the Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress, and Okinawa University. Below Mr. Ryuji Satomi, the Deputy Minister of Health was seated on my right at dinner and Mr. Ryo Hosokawa, Researcher, Department of Industrial Relations, JILPT was seated on my left.

Ua Zensen

Ua Zensen is Japans largest union with 1.4 million members. UA ZENSEN covers various industries closely related to peoples daily life, such as textile, garment, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, energy, ceramic, building material, food, commerce, printing, leisure, service, restaurant, welfare, medical, as well as temporary agency and contract work. UA also stands for Union Alliance or Union All-around.

Attendance from UA ZENSEN: (Not all who were in attendance are pictured. Standing behind Susan Coldwell is Shino Naito from the Japan Institute for Labour, Policy and Training. Beside Shino on the end is researcher, Yusuke Naganuma. Second row, second gentleman is Toshio Tonouchi and seated in front is Ikuko Ishiguro; also responsible for womens issues.) Masanobu Tamura Yoshio Nakamura Ikuko Ishiguro Toshio Tonouchi Yoichi Chigami Tetsuro Seto Hanae Nakano Motoko Namai Assistant General Secretary Central Executive Standing Committee Member and Director, Policy and Labour Bureau Assistant General Secretary Director, Planning Unit Central Executive Standing Committee Member Deputy Director, Policy and Labour Bureau (met me and escorted me to Ua Zensen) Assistant Director, Policy and Labour Bureau Deputy Director, International Affairs Bureau Assistant Director, International Affairs Bureau

Attentive listening, profiling the program and materials and with interpreter Motome Ueda. There was concern expressed by both Ua Zensen and the JILPT are on the number of suicides, approximately 2,000 per year, (1,500 men and 500 women), which are directly linked to bullying behaviour in the workplace.

Atlantic Safety Centre1 to Launch NSGEU Program in NFLD.

In February, our Train-the-Trainer program was delivered in NL to an enthusiastic and committed group; pictured below are Tammy White , Pamela Constantine, Vice-President Business Development, Susan Coldwell NSGEU, Working Toward Bully-Free Workplaces Program Trainer, Doris Smith, and David Constantine. Training costs were covered by the Atlantic Safety Centre.

Atlantic Safety Centre is ideally positioned to deliver our NSGEU program. The mandate of Atlantic Safety Center Inc. is to provide its clients with professional advice and strategies through the provision of training and
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To view the website you can go tohttp://www.atlanticsafetycentre.com

consulting services to help employers and employees increase productivity, proactively plan for and effectively address their occupational health, safety and wellness needs. Atlantic Safety Centre Inc. is dedicated to meeting client needs. Extensive safety training is provided at our Kenmount Road location in Paradise, but specific client requirements can also be met by providing onsite training at a location of the clients choosing. Atlantic Safety Centre has been a longstanding and respected member of the Newfoundland and Labrador business and industrial community since 1996. Atlantic Safety Centre is a forerunner in the safety consulting business. Project management, safety consulting, compliance monitoring and training services have been provided to both small and large organizations across Newfoundland and Atlantic Canada. From the Atlantic Safety Centre home page. The Atlantic Safety Centre understands the need for safety programs that keep up with the national standards which now include psychological health and safety in the workplace. Canada now has a national standard designed to help organizations and their employees improve workplace psychological health and safety. The tentative launch date for the delivery of our BFW program is March 26, 2013 with invitations to include the Canadian labour Congress (CLC), Workers Compensation Board (WCB), NAPE, Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Union and other unions, Department of Education, Eastern Shore Community Care, Eastern Health, Corrections, Community Services and approximately fifty contractors and employers served by Atlantic Safety Services. An initial informational e-mail was sent, and followed up with a press release and an invitation. Their staff and NSGEU staff have been in touch in order to ensure they remain true and to reflect the vision for the program. The launch will discuss the Working Toward Bully-Free Workplaces Program in the context of the National Standards for Canada on Psychological health and the costs of workplace bullying; and tie it in with their Atlantic Safety Services theme of Safe Harbour. Following the launch the facilitators plan to offer the program to the Atlantic Safety Services employees, allowing them to fulfill the practicum status prior to receiving their certificates.

Conclusion
This partnership provides the NSGEU with the ability to bring our program to workplaces across Newfoundland. We will continue to gather data and information on the success of transplanting the program to another province. It will also allow us to compare how the program is received when being delivered by the union or by a business with marketing support. To date no marketing has been required from the union as the demand has been high. With the implementation of the on-line program we want to be better able to engage our NSGEU membership in order to follow-up for intervention and see sustainable outcomes in workplaces. The JILPT seminar emphasized the need for collaboration with unions on interventions that provide definitions, clear messaging and a consistency of approaches which support better workplaces and dignity at work.