VIOLENCE AT WORK

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2021 :: RMTnews 8 RMT recently surveyed members in all sectors about their experiences of violence at work during the pandemic and over 5,200 members responded by answering multiple choice questions. Over 50 per cent thought violence at work had got worse during the pandemic and more women than men said that they had noticed this increase. More than half the respondents reported being threatened with physical violence, while one in 10 had been physically assaulted. One respondent wrote: “Things have got worse since the pandemic. Staff attribute this to having to implement Covid safety rules, the lack of any action against perpetrators, lack of support, rising aggression levels and mixed messages to the public”. Another wrote: “I’ve experienced being spat at, called a paedophile, had threats to be stabbed, members of my family would be raped, called all the names under the sun, pushed, shoved, provoked”. Another respondent explained how wider economic issues are feeding into the problem: “I find most of the aggressive passengers are ticketless travellers so due to money worries since Covid more people are travelling without tickets”. A bus member wrote about how employers’ failure to resolve violence at work related issues impacts staff stress levels and leads to workers leaving the industry: “It's a daily occurrence getting verbally assaulted at the moment mainly due to current company staffing levels. Drivers are getting abuse left right and centre. Drivers are leaving in droves because management don't care about the amount of stress that we are under”. Half of those who experienced a violent incident reported that they had experienced it more than once since the pandemic started and one in five reported that it had happened more than 10 times since the pandemic began. 88 per cent had been verbally abused, 13 per cent had been racially harassed and six per cent sexually assaulted. When asked why they thought things had got worse during the pandemic, the main reason given was that no action is taken against perpetrators (71 per cent), the reduced presence of BTP (British Transport Police) and police (64 per cent) and the need to remind passengers about Covid-19 safety measures (62 per cent). 16 per cent said they had been spat at or targeted with bodily fluids and comments included: “Threatened to be spat upon by a passenger who claimed to have Covid”. “Sworn at and threatened with bodily harm on daily basis. Spat at twice in last 12 months”. Impact since restrictions have lifted 73 per cent of respondents believed the government’s lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and mixed messaging around safety measures had further aggravated the situation. One respondent explained, “People pushing through the barriers to avoid paying a fare, as gates were previously open during the initial pandemic, rudeness and swearing with increased aggression”. “Far more short-tempered people that fly off the handle for very trivial reasons and far more aggressively. Also there seem to be a lot more intoxicated people too”. “More passengers drinking alcohol since restrictions have lifted. Passengers got used to barriers being open, now they still think it is their right to travel for free and so loads more ‘gate line jumpers’ with VIOLENCE AT WORK RMT survey reveals a growth in attacks on transport workers since the pandemic