Level of assaults on public sector staff unacceptable

6 July 2011

The PSA, the country’s biggest union, is concerned at the level of attacks on public sector workers.

“The reported 213 recorded assaults over the past year in Te Whetu Tawera, an Auckland mental health facility, is just the tip of the iceberg,” says PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff. “The incidence of work-related violence is widespread and may be increasing.”

A Massey University Report on the 2011 Workplace Violence Survey found that “incidence rate for all violence cases (32.3 per 1000 employees) is very high compared to internationally reported rates. Highest violence incidence rates and lost time were reported for organisations from the health sector.”

“Workplace violence is a significant hazard in the public sector and employers need to do more to address the issue,” says Richard Wagstaff.

In 2010, ACC accepted 724 work-related violence claims for the public sector in 2010. That does not include workers in the health or support sectors. In addition, evidence shows that under-reporting of incidents is widespread.

The latest issue of Working Life, the PSA journal, which looks in-depth at work-related violence across the public sector, says “the evidence shows that women are more likely to be assaulted than men, possibly because many work in high-risk sectors such as care and support, nursing and social services.”

“State sector workers are more likely to be the targets of assault than private sector workers because they work directly with the public in care and enforcement roles. People who work in health and social services are among those most at risk as are staff in local government and those who are required to enforce the law, such as fisheries and prison officers,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“The PSA has identified violence as one of its three Health and Safety priorities. Clearly it is a problem that is not under control. It shouldn’t be part of the job and we’d like to see more being done to address it.

“In the current climate of severe cuts to public services and staffing levels, the risks facing public servants who have to carry out unpopular government policies are likely to further increase,” says Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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