| 20-10-2007 | |
| Aggression and violence against employees with a public task should decrease with 15 percent | |
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The Dutch Cabinet decided to spend a total amount of 6.5 million euro's spread over the coming three years to achieve this.
Minister Ter Horst sends the program "Safe public task" to the Parliament. In the program is described how the violence against employees with a public task is handled by the common employers. The program is an extension of the action program of the last Cabinet. Research shows that in the year 2006 two-third (66 percent) of the employees working for the public had to deal with unwanted behavior. Most cases concerned verbal violence, but about a quarter of the employees also had to deal with physical violence like hitting and kicking. The worst is the situation for train-conductors, prison personnel and people working for the ambulance: they have almost all (90 to 100 percent) had dealt with aggression and violence. This varied from cursing and humiliation to fysical violence. Damage because all of this is estimated to be around 100 million euro's per year caused by persons reporting their illness or a decrease in productivity, other damage, medical costs. This only investigated in a number of sectors, the total damage will be way bigger. The point minister Ter Horst is making is that employers in the several sectors have to protect their employees against violence, and have to act good when it happens yet. 2.5 Million euro's from the total is reserved for employers who develop an extraordinary plan to deal with the problem. The goal is to exchange experiences and solutions between employers to learn from each other. The public ministry and the police have to behave adequately and consistent. The punishments for violence against public employees are already twice as high as normal. Although the most activities have to be undertaken by employers in the different sectors, there is also a need for central direction and support. Otherwise, every hospital or every part of the country shall have different rules. Therefore, minister Ter Horst will direct and support the whole process to make sure that the reaction against violence will be consistent. She will develop a uniformed rule about what is accepted and what is not (no violence, no cursing). There will be more research to the cause of violence against supporting, protecting, helping and servicing public personnel. Probably will the improvement of servicing to the personnel good; fewer complaints and therefore less aggression and violence Source: Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken |