Write to your MP and ask them to help stop bullying at work!
Workplace bullying is a pervasive and widespread problem in the UK. Research suggests 4.9 million people in the UK have experienced bullying at work. It is a major cause of stress and anxiety for those involved and puts added strain on our overstretched mental health services. Workplace conflict is also estimated to be costing UK businesses over £28 billion each year.
Right now, less than half of those who experience bullying report it, and many of those who have reported find that their situation gets worse. Unlike harassment and discrimination, there is currently no legal definition of bullying at work, and no simple path to a legal redress for those affected. This means very few claims can be taken to court, and even then in most cases people must leave their jobs first . This situation needs to be addressed. It’s time for change!
As a starting point, on July 11th I presented my new Bullying and Respect at Work Bill that would:
– Provide a legal definition of bullying
– Introduce a Respect at Work code
– Provide new legal routes for people to pursue bullying claims without leaving their jobs
If you would like to help me put an end to workplace bullying, please write to your MP and ask them to support my Bullying and Respect at Work Bill which calls for this change. I am also starting a new All Party Parliamentary Group on Bullying and Respect at Work, and you may wish to ask your MP to join this group to meet, discuss and act on this issue. I have provided a template letter below, and you can copy and paste this into an email to be amended, as needed. You can use a website such as WriteToThem or TheyWorkForYou to find the email address of your MP.
You can also share your support by sharing information on the need for this Bill, using our Social Media toolkit, available here.
Thank you – and let’s stop bullying at work!
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Letter Template
{YOUR FULL ADDRESS}
{YOUR POSTCODE}
{DATE}
Dear {MP NAME},
My names is {YOUR NAME} and I am a constituent of {YOUR CONSTITUENCY}. I am writing to you today because I am concerned about the issue of bullying at work, and the impact this is having on both those affected and our wider society.
Bullying can have a significant impact on someone’s mental and physical health and can lead to people leaving or losing their job. Research has found that 15 per cent of people have experienced bullying at work in the UK, which is not related to any protected characteristic – that is currently estimated to be around 4.9 million people employed in the UK who have been affected by this. Bullying also has a major impact on businesses and the economy, with 17 million days of work lost last year due to work related stress, depression, or anxiety. Workplace conflict is thought to be costing UK companies £28.5 billion each year.
This is something that’s particularly important to me as {EXPLAIN KEY REASONS AND ANY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE INFORMED THIS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO}.
I am asking you to take the following steps to address my concerns:
- Contact Rachael Maskell MP to join the new APPG on Bullying and Respect at work, due to launch in the New Year;
- Support Rachael Maskell’s Bullying and Respect at Work Bill when it returns to Parliament;
- Show your support for this issue on social media using Rachael’s Social Media Toolkit, and the hashtags #StopBullyingAtWork #BackTheBullyingBill.
If you feel unable to do these things, please could you write to me explaining your reasons for not supporting this essential change, detailing what other actions you plan to take to tackle this issue. If you are unable to address this personally, I would like to request that you escalate my letter to the relevant Minister or department.
Please do keep me informed of any progress made.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
{YOUR NAME}