Notes from EPSU Executive Committee
Third-Party Violence and Harassment (TPVH)—whether psychological, sexual, or physical in nature—is on the rise and must be stopped. Since March 2024, the EU-level social partners in five sectors (Education, Local and Regional Government, Central Administration, Hospitality, and Health and Hospitals) have been working together to revise the 2010 Multi-Sectoral Guidelines aimed at tackling TPVH. These new and strengthened Guidelines have now been formally approved and are scheduled for signature on 6 May 2025.
As an active member of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), the Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF) has been closely involved in this process. USF Executive Committee member from SACE participates actively on the EPSU Executive Committee and has contributed to shaping and endorsing these updated Guidelines. USF is proud to support this joint effort and is committed to its promotion and implementation.
The revised Guidelines reaffirm a crucial consensus: TPVH is not part of the job. Two persistent factors—staffing shortages and excessive workload—are widely acknowledged as key contributors to the rise of TPVH. It is deeply concerning that victims often receive inadequate support, not only from managers but sometimes also from colleagues.
Although the Guidelines are not legally binding, they serve as an important reference point to identify and address gaps in national legislation and workplace practices. EPSU, as one of the signatories, is committed to monitoring their implementation, with a formal review set for 2030.
Some improvements/additions to be noted:
- A clearer stance that TPVH must not be normalised (as part of the job) nor minimised.
- Anchoring TPVH policy in OSH, gender equality, anti-discrimination and trade union rights.
- Recognition that sufficient staffing levels and manageable workload need to be part of health risk assessments at the workplace as a key prevention tool.
- Recognition that the impact of domestic violence at work especially in a context of telework should be dealt with by the employers and trade unions.
- Recognition of the importance of adopting an intersectional approach in design and implementation of TPVH policies
- more comprehensive overview of risks associated with digital communication such as cyberviolence and overall recognition that digitalisation, if not tailored to both workers and service users, can increase risks of TPVH.
- Encouraging reporting of TPVH with no fear of reprisals, by making sure that workers know whom to turn to and what to do in case of TPVH.
- More guidance with reference to a dedicated TPVH joint website with 40 good policies of how best to tackle TPVH including domestic violence at work
See key revisions here.
USF will continue to work through EPSU and within our own networks to ensure that these Guidelines are not only widely disseminated but meaningfully implemented to protect all workers from TPVH.
