Countering bullying

The term mobbing refers to a systematic and prolonged series of vexatious and persecutory behaviours, disproportionate and incongruous with respect to the normal working relationship, exercised by the employer or other personnel (mobber) against a worker (mobbed) with the aim of marginalising, devaluing, oppressing or pushing him/her to leave the work environment, causing a detrimental effect on his/her psychophysical health.

In concrete terms, mobbing consists of any form of moral or psychological violence exercised in the work environment, characterised by a series of acts, attitudes or voluntary behaviour repeated over time in a systematic and habitual manner, having aggressive, denigrating and discriminatory connotations, such as to compromise the health, professionalism and/or dignity of the person who is the victim, to the point of excluding him/her from the work context.

Revealing elements of mobbing are, in particular, the hostility of the behaviour, the frequency of the harassing actions (at least once or twice a week) and their persistence (several months). Bullying can be directed at different aspects of the sufferer's life: his reputation, his social relationships, the quality of his work, his physical or psychological health. Bullying can be carried out either against a colleague of equal rank or against a collaborator or superior.

The Autonomous Province of Trento, with the aim of preventing and combating mobbing, promoting organisational wellbeing and protecting the psycho-physical and relational integrity of the person in the workplace, has established the Provincial Anti-Mobbing Coordinationwhich coordinates the confrontation between those involved in preventing and combating mobbing.

What to do to defend yourself against mobbing

Do you think you are a victim of mobbing? Do you need help?

You can talk to

• your employer (if you are being bullied by a colleague or superior);
• your trade union representative;
• the workers' safety representative;
• or with the competent company doctor.

In some public bodies, there is also a dedicated figure, the Trust Adviser, who is a guarantee figure entrusted with the delicate task of being able to listen to employees who feel harassed or harassed and to intervene to try to re-establish a positive climate, thus preventing the situation from worsening.

In addition, you can turn to the following public support services.

Support services you can turn to

• Support and advice from the Equality Adviser
  First of all, you can turn to the Equality Adviser: this is the institutional figure, an expert in the legal field, with the task of intervening specifically on the issue of equal opportunities between men and women in the world of work, both in the public and private sectors. In the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Counsellor is also a figure of guarantee and trust who is entrusted with the delicate task of listening to employees who feel harassed or harassed and intervening to try to re-establish a positive climate, thus preventing the situation from worsening. It therefore provides support and advice in relation to all forms of discrimination related to harassment, for the benefit of both employees and employers. The Equality Adviser encourages, also through conciliation procedures, the resolution of disputes due to mobbing in individual and specific cases brought to the attention of her office.
  
  It is possible to contact the office by telephone or email, and in the case of first contact the person concerned is offered a personal appointment with the Adviser, who is bound to professional secrecy; any action following the report is agreed in detail with the person concerned. Where necessary, the Adviser may exercise the right to take legal action, in accordance with the relevant state regulations.

  Contacts
  Head office: via Manci, 27, 38122 Trento (Provincial Council building, fourth floor)
  Tel.: 0461/213248
  Reception by appointment:
  - email: cons.parita@consiglio.provincia.tn.it
  - website: www.consiglio.provincia.tn.it/presso-il-consiglio/consigliera-parita
  

• Medical counselling
  For further information or if you require medical assistance, you can contact
  - to the Competent Doctor of your company
  - or to the APSS at the Workplace Safety Prevention Operating Unit - UOPSAL information desk.

  By making an appointment by telephone at the UOPSAL information desk, you will be able to have a free interview with qualified health personnel who will provide you with support in assessing the need for any further investigations (e.g. specialist occupational medicine examinations at the UOPSAL or at other specialist centres).

  The services offered by the UOPSAL to which workers who complain of conditions of discomfort or illness resulting from adverse actions at work (mobbing, etc.) can have access are

  Information and assistance
  Assistance may be requested at the UOPSAL information desk in the 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. time slot from Monday to Friday at these telephone contacts
  - toll-free number: 800.601.077
  - or 0464 403771 (Rovereto)
  - or 0461 904662 (Trento)

  The answering staff can provide information and useful indications for dealing with the problem correctly (specialist investigations, professionals or structures to be contacted, recommended actions, etc.) or to take up any reports.
  An appointment must in any case be made for a direct interview.
  
  Reports can also be made by e-mail to the following address: sportellouopsal@apss.tn.it
  
  Remember: anonymous reports are not normally dealt with and will eventually be forwarded to the judicial authorities for decision. The identity of the whistleblower is in any case protected.
  
  Specialist occupational medicine examination
  After a telephone interview and on the recommendation of the UOPSAL staff, it is possible to book a specialist examination by the medical staff, who may avail themselves of the collaboration of other structures of the Provincial Authority or other specialist centres.
  

• Psychological support
  For psychological support, you can contact the Psychology Service of the Trento Provincial Board of Health.
  The service is aimed at situations of psychological distress also connected to work difficulties of various kinds.

  To access the service, all you have to do is call the secretary's office (leaving your telephone number) and ask for an initial appointment (the reception interview), during which the request is first taken into consideration, the motivation for the request for help is collected, and the person concerned is asked to take two short self-descriptive tests, one on the declared symptoms and the other on the subjective perception of general wellbeing/unwellbeing, aimed at an initial assessment.

  Remember: the psychology service does not carry out expert opinions to ascertain or assess damage to be used in legal proceedings for possible compensation claims.

  Psychology service
  The Service takes care of psychological needs, expressed at an individual, group or institutional level, to which it responds through direct outpatient care (diagnostic and therapeutic) and/or counselling for individuals or health and social services.

  - Email: psicologiaclinica.trento@apss.tn.it