EU Social partners agree on measures to counter work-place violence

Publié: 7 Octobre 2010
Google translate: 

On 30 September 2010, EU-level social partners in the commerce,private security sectors healthcare, education , local and regional government, (CEMR, CoESS, EFEE, EPSU, ETUCE, EuroCommerce, HOSPEEM and UNI Europa) have signed guidelines to help tackle third-party violence and harassment at work.

According to a Eurofound survey in 2005, 1 in 20 EU workers have been exposed to violence at work, and in 3 out of 4 cases, this was from someone outside the workplace. Threats of violence and actual violence from third parties are most common in a variety of sectors.



The guidelines are setting out the practical steps that can be taken by employers, workers and trade unions to tackle problems of third-party violence. They are the outcome of a two-year process supported by the European Commission to assess the issues through research, workshops and the exchange of best practices.

The Guidelines aim to cut prevent, reduce and mitigate violence by setting out practical measures such as:

  • Increase awareness and understanding of employers, workers, their representatives and other public authorities (e.g. health and safety agencies, police, etc) of the issue of third party violence
  • Demonstrate the commitment of social partners to working together and sharing experiences and good practice to help prevent and manage problems of harassment and/or violence instigated by third parties and reduce the impact on employees' health and well-being, sickness absence and productivity.
  • Provide employers, workers and their representatives at all levels with Guidelines to identify, prevent manage and tackle problems of work related harassment and violence instigated by third parties.



The Guidelines complement the cross-sectoral agreement on violence and harassment at work, adopted in 2007.

CEMR, CoESS, EFEE, EPSU, ETUCE, EuroCommerce, HOSPEEM and UNI Europa will now promote the guidelines within the Member States at all appropriate levels taking account of national practices, through joint and separate actions. The relevant sectoral European Social Dialogue Committees will prepare a joint progress report in 2012 and a final joint evaluation in 2013.



The Guidelines are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish and Russian on http://www.epsu.org/a/6782



EPSU/UNI Europa report on third-party violence: http://www.epsu.org/a/5866