The
Amicus union has launched a bullying hotline at Heathrow and Gatwick airports
to combat the growing problem of bullying and harassment within the airline
industry.
The
hotline will be run by anti-bullying specialists the Andrea Adams Trust and
will give advice and counselling to staff working at the airports.
Gordon
White, national officer for civil aviation at the union, said: "Amicus
officials are now having to deal with cases of bullying and harassment on a
daily basis
"Bullying
is a disaster for morale and productivity," he said. "We are calling
upon employers to get their houses in order for the sake of their staff and
their business."
The
growing pressures in the industry, brought about by increased security and
ferocious competition, are leading to unrealistic targets for managers and
staff being forced to work excessive hours, the union said.
According
to research from the University of Manchester, the effects of bullying and
harassment are responsible for a third of all stress-related illnesses. The
university claims that 18.9 million working days are lost to bullying and
harassment each year.
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Earlier
this year Amicus and the Andrea Adams Trust, secured a grant of £1.8m from the
DTI to tackle workplace bullying.
