FDA responds to debate on ministerial behaviour
The FDA's general secretary, Jonathan Baume, made several media appearances yesterday and today on the wider issue of unacceptable behaviour by ministers and MPs towards civil servants.
While not commenting on the specific allegations of bullying of civil servants in No.10 Downing Street, Baume, speaking on Monday's BBC Radio 4's PM programme, said: "Every government department has a very clear policy about bullying, but for the most part that is a matter of civil servants bullying other civil servants and of course that happens as in any other big workplace. Although theoretically such clear guidelines might cover ministers, the reality is that no civil servant is ever likely to make a formal complaint about the behaviour of a minister."
If informal methods of resolving the issue fail, Baume said that, currently, the civil service just had to "grin and bear it".
He added: "I think the question is, what are now the boundaries in a modern workplace and do we need to consider all of the major parties signing up to very clear codes of practice about what is acceptable for a minister to do in [regard] to the civil servants and for that to be introduced perhaps after the General Election.
He also said there was a "wider problem" amongst politicians and public servants. "In the House of Commons, the FDA together with other unions has been pressing for a very clear anti-bullying policy to cover the relationship between MPs and House of Commons staff. There is a very good policy in place for staff against other staff. There is nothing in place yet between MPs and House of Commons staff. There have been a number of incidents, including... drunken behaviour by MPs which staff find very difficult to deal with. Unfortunately we are not making much progress on this, but the issue will not go away."
FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume on BBC Radio 4 PM programme 22 February 2010
Other FDA mentions
FDA in the Media
Press release: 22 February 2010
Tackling ministerial bullying