One in five Mounties tormented in the last year
OTTAWA — Nearly one in five Mounties has been verbally harassed or tormented on the job in the last year.
According to national results of a 2009 internal RCMP employee opinion survey, 2,343 employees — about 19% of those who responded — reported being abused in the workplace. Another 785, or 6% of the 12,129 surveyed, declined to answer the question.
The majority of incidents involved harassment by a direct supervisor, co-worker or superior, according to the documents obtained by Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin using Access to Information.
The confidential online survey also revealed many Mounties are dissatisfied in their jobs. About 24% said they would have “doubts” about recommending their job to an interested friend, and 27% said they contemplate quitting at least once a month.
Another 11% think about moving on every week and 5% think about quitting daily.
A note from RCMP Commissioner William Elliott released with the package of documents expressed concern that the reports of verbal abuse quietly recorded in the survey are so high compared to official complaints filed.
“I note that the majority of these incidents went unreported. It is incumbent on each and every one of us to not only create and maintain a harassment-free work environment, but to also ensure that employees feel at ease to report these incidents. Once reported, appropriate follow-up must be pursued diligently,” he said.
Elliott was also concerned that about half the respondents said they didn’t have faith the RCMP would act on the survey results, which also measured a series of issues related to workload, training opportunities and ability to use official language of choice.
“We are experiencing significant progress in our transformation agenda — progress which will benefit our employees, their workplaces and their careers,” the commissioner said. “However, if we are truly to achieve our shared vision for change, which includes being a trusted organization of fully engaged employees, it is clear that we all must do a better job in addressing concerns raised by employees and communicating specific undertakings.”
RCMP Sgt. Pat Flood said the national force has a zero tolerance policy on workplace harassment.
“Each complaint about harassment or discrimination is reviewed and if necessary, investigated and addressed in accordance with Treasury Board policies and the RCMP Act,” she said.
Flood said a “respectful workplace program” was put in place in February to develop guidelines and procedures to recognize and prevent any incidents of harassment.
“We try to nip it in the bud before it actually happens,” she said.
Harassment awareness training is also mandatory for all uniformed and civilian employees, Flood said.
kathleen.harris@sunmedia.ca
