Holding employers to account on staff safety
Reports of student harassment of staff in Tasmanian schools are deeply concerning, but one school’s response shows that union action can make a difference.
Alongside the growing incidence of psychosocial hazards in Tasmanian schools, members from three schools sought assistance from the union in dealing with incidents involving abuse from students.
In one appalling case, the employer initially dismissed concerns as an ‘IT issue’ after students created several online accounts targeting staff. In two of the three cases, the abuse included material related to the ‘manosphere’ that degraded female staff or students.
A coordinated response
A sub-branch at another school, outraged by the treatment of staff, united behind a coordinated course of action that offers a template for other workplaces facing similar situations.
The sub-branch agreed to:
The IEU contacting the employer immediately with concerns about WHS psychosocial hazards arising from cyberbullying.
Members lodging a WHS Incident Form for all incidents and near-misses, including potential vicarious trauma.
Affected members lodging complaints, anonymously if preferred, with the employer’s governing body about how the incidents had been managed.
Members immediately accessing the EAP and/or lodging a workers’ compensation claim if needed.
The IEU then contacted the employer in writing and followed up with a meeting to discuss its positive duty as a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) to prevent psychosocial hazards and actively consult with staff about managing and preventing those hazards.
The sub-branch also told the employer that it would follow up after a term to check on progress in addressing the concerns.
The employer responds
The employer responded with a range of measures, including:
Hazard risk assessments.
Online tracking systems managed by the IT Department to monitor students’ online activity.
Accessing the eSafety Commissioner to support the identification of accounts and follow-up action to have them shut down.
Introduction of the ‘ThinkUKnow’ educational program to educate students.
Encouraging and supporting parent engagement and the reporting of accounts.
Moving students who exhibit unsafe behaviour to other educational providers.
Members, particularly the Rep, continued to press the employer to act. One outcome of the coordinated response was a letter sent by the school to parents that clearly outlined the school’s values, expectations for student behaviour, and its commitment to staff wellbeing and safety.
This case demonstrates that when members act collectively, identify their workplace rights and obligations, and hold employers to account, meaningful action can follow.
We hope this encouraging outcome offers IEU members in both states a framework for action to address this scourge directly.