What to do when a policy violation occurs
What to do when facing a violation of the Respectful Workplace Policy, including bullying:
- Contact your union
When our members are facing bullying and/or abusive behaviors, they should reach out to a union steward, who can offer support and advice. As the new Respectful Workplace Policy is new, MAPE has developed a tracking system to gauge the experiences our members experience in utilizing the policy. Part of the reason for this is we expect to share with MMB what the policy is working well and what may need to be changed. To find your steward, click here. Please recognize that if you are going through this, you should not do so alone.
- Determine if there are others who are affected?
We know that many times even though it's an individual being bullied, there are coworkers who have been under the behaviors, have witnessed the behaviors or who know of members who have left because of the behaviors. Start a conversation with coworkers if possible, to get any shared experiences that may need to be brought to light.
- Document the abusive behavior
It is critical that you as a member have factual documented evidence of the behaviors that are negatively affecting you. Not only should you explain what happened in each situation, but also include dates, times and places the problematic behavior occurred. You should also provide the names of any witnesses, as well as names of past employees who you know left because they experienced the same behaviors. Document the impact the behaviors have on you work, health and personal life and provide any medical statements that may be relevant regarding the harmful effects these behaviors have had on you. To help you do this, MAPE offers this incident log: - Utilize the Respectful Workplace Policy
Take a look at the specific feature of this toolkit regarding The Respectful Workplace Policy, where you will find a copy of the policy and advice for its use.