MVFM Workplace Bullying Policy

Meander Valley Community Radio is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace free
from bullying. All volunteers and others associated with the station are protected by this policy.
MVCR will treat reports of workplace bullying seriously. We will respond promptly, impartially
and confidentially.

This policy is readily available to all people involved with the station and forms part of our
induction when new members join the organization. If necessary, people involved with the station
will be reminded of this policy from time to time.

Expected workplace behaviours

Under work health and safety laws, volunteers and other people at our station must take
reasonable care that they do not adversely affect the health and safety of others. MVCR expects
people to.
• behave in a responsible and professional manner
• treat others at the station with courtesy and respect
• listen and respond appropriately to the views and concerns of others
• be fair and honest in their dealings with others.

This policy applies to behaviours that occur in connection with running the station, even if it
occurs outside normal working hours, for example when dealing with sponsors, at station-related
events and on social media where volunteers interact with colleagues or sponsors and their actions
may affect them either directly or indirectly.

What is workplace bullying?
Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group
of workers that creates a risk to health, safety and wellbeing. Repeated behaviour refers to the
persistent nature of the behaviour and can refer to a range of behaviours over time.
Unreasonable behaviour means behaviour that a reasonable person, having considered the
circumstances, would see as unreasonable, including behaviour that is victimising, humiliating,
intimidating or threatening.

Single incidents of unreasonable behaviour can also present a risk to health, safety and wellbeing
and will not be tolerated.

What is not workplace bullying?
Reasonable management action taken by the station manager or committee president to direct and
control the way work is carried out is not workplace bullying if the action is carried out in a
respectful and reasonable way, taking the particular circumstances into account.

What can you do?
If you feel you are experiencing or witnessing bullying within the operation of the station and are
not comfortable dealing with the problem yourself, or your attempts to do so have not been
successful, you should raise the issue promptly either with the station manager or committee
president. If you witness unreasonable behaviour you should bring the matter to the attention of
the manager or committee president as a matter of urgency.

How we will respond
If bullying or unreasonable behaviour is reported or observed we will take the following steps:

• The most appropriate person will speak to the parties involved as soon as possible, gather
information and seek a resolution to satisfactorily address the issue for all parties.
• If issues cannot be resolved or the unreasonable behaviour is considered to be of a serious
nature, an impartial person will be appointed to investigate. Both sides will be able to state their
case and relevant information will be collected and considered before a decision is made.
• All complaints and reports will be treated confidentially. Only those people directly involved in
the complaint or in resolving it will have access to the information.
• There will be no victimisation of the person making the report or helping to resolve it.

Consequences of breaching this policy
Appropriate disciplinary action may be taken against a person who is found to have breached this
policy. The action taken will depend on the nature and circumstance of each breach and could
include:
• a verbal or written apology
• one or more parties agreeing to participate in counselling or training
• a verbal or written reprimand, or
• terminating involvement in the running of the station of the person engaging in the bullying
behaviour.

If workplace bullying has not been substantiated
If an investigation finds workplace bullying has not occurred or cannot be substantiated, MVCR
may still take appropriate action to address any workplace issues leading to the bullying report.

This policy is largely based on guidelines produced by Safe Work Australia