Sep 23 - GSD Calls On Government To Take On Businesses’ Concerns Over Anti-Bullying Law
The GSD Opposition says it notes the “very serious but valid” criticisms which have been levelled by the Chamber of Commerce and the GFSB at the recently implemented Bullying at Work legislation. Both business organisations express concern that the law threatens to make Gibraltar “less competitive” and it is for very similar reasons, says the Opposition, that it was unable to support the law when introduced by the Government in Parliament.
The GSD says that there are issues in the wording of the legislation which it raised but which have not been taken on board by the Government. It appears, says the party, that the Government has “equally ignored” the representations made to it by business.
According to the GSD, the law, which in many respects is similar to that which was debated in the House of Commons but never implemented, was abandoned even by its proponents as being ‘bad jurisprudence’. It was also described in the UK parliament as being ‘too prescriptive’.
The GSD says that the Chief Minister “completely ignored” Mr Bossino’s “constructive arguments” during the course of the debate in Gibraltar’s parliament, in which he said that there had not been sufficient consultation about the detail and effect of the new law. The Chief Minister, however, promised to set up a Commencement Committee which would comprise employer and employee organisations and also promised that the Act would not be commenced until he was advised to commence it. The GSD questions whether such advice could have been given, at least from the employer side, when both representative organisations continue to express their concerns with the Act.
Damon Bossino, Deputy Leader of the GSD said:
“Everybody including the Opposition condemns the deplorable scar that is bullying in the workplace or anywhere else for that matter. Every effort which is made to raise awareness of this important issue is supported by the GSD and should be supported by society as a whole. I specifically recognised and acknowledged the work done by Mr Buttigieg of DAWN during the course of my intervention in Parliament. It is quite another matter to determine which is the best way that that aim can be achieved. We had very serious doubts that the law which was passed by Government majority was the best way of achieving this.”
The GSD calls on the Government to review the terms of the Act so that both employer and employee organisations can unanimously support the legislative efforts at eradicating what is a blight on society.
