Third-party violence – EU social partner guidelines

In 2018, CESI co-signed multi-sectoral social partners’ guidelines to tackle and prevent third-party violence and harassment at work.

A multi-sectoral social partner project, coordinated by the European Public Sector Unions (EPSU), has meanwhile assessat national level and identifyed key areas for improvements.

Based on webinar exchanges, research findings and new data, the project partners have adopted a ‘zero tolerance’ action plan and committed to further updating the ‘guidelines’, to take into account national legislation and the recent ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment (2019).

The action plan is flanked by a report on how working conditions and staffing levels are crucial in understanding rising rates of third-party violence at work, including cyber harassment, and contains useful examples of how social partners tackle the matter.

The final objective of the action plan is to become an awareness-raising tool on third-party violence, with a particular focus on the fight against gender-based violence.

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General, reiterated CESI´s long and uncompromising position: “We represent many frontline workers, from firefighters to nurses, from police forces to teachers, and it is absolutely unacceptable that those pillars of society remain subject to third-party violence. Attacking them, means attacking society. It is an attack against each and every one of us, and ‘zero tolerance’ can only be the answer. I am pleased about the commitment and determination of all signatories.”

Through this project, CESI drives forward its awareness-raising activities launched with its own project on third-party violence at work. See the related #NOVIOLENCEATWORK campaign with visuals, video and a manifesto against third-party violence at work.