The Canberra Institute of Technology has been ordered by the ACT government to put its house in order after breaking workplace laws in its failure to protect its workers from bullying.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A scathing report by WorkSafe ACT, finding that CIT's systems were so poor that they effectively protected bullies and left staff afraid to speak out about their treatment, has forced Education Minister Chris Bourke to intervene, demanding action.
The institute has been beset by harassment complaints with seven serious cases reported at three of the institution's work sites between 2008 and this year, with former victims alleging there was a culture of bullying and harassment to the third level education provider.
Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe found there was a culture at CIT that discouraged staff from reporting and describes a workplace rife with allegations of nepotism, unfairness and uneven workloads.
Even when CIT staff made complaints, Mr McCabe found, the processes were inadequate, unfair and victims were denied natural justice.
An earlier report into the CIT by consultants KMR, quoted by WorkSafe, found the institution was suffering from a ''very low level of morale'' and staff believed there was lack of confidence in management style of CIT's senior leaders.
''The … investigation found that the CIT had breached its responsibilities under the territory's health and safety legislation,'' Mr McCabe said yesterday. ''WorkSafe ACT's inspector determined that the CIT does not have an adequate system for preventing or responding to allegations of bullying and harassment in the workplace.''
An Improvement Notice has been issued requiring the CIT to make a number of improvements to its systems regarding prevention and management of bullying and harassment of staff.The CIT has six months to comply with a number of specific requirements in the notice, designed to achieve this outcome.
Former CIT hospitality teacher Patrick Reubinson, one of the complainants, said staff who complained about bullying were singled out and ''intimidated''.
''The whole system was against you,'' Mr Reubinson said.
Pursuing the problem over a number of years had tested all of the staff involved.
''It's taken a steely determination to get this far,'' he said.
''It's finished our careers.''
Dr Bourke issued his ministerial direction yesterday after receiving the WorkSafe report, requiring CIT to put systems in place to ensure there is no repeat of the crisis.
''I'm very disappointed that CIT has been issued with an improvement notice by the Work Safety Commissioner,'' the minister said.
''This is why I've also issued a directive to CIT under the CIT Act to report to me on a weekly basis their progress under the 10-point plan for improvement issued by the work safety commissioner.''
CIT chief executive Adrian Marron said: ''It [the report] is sobering reading for us but we accept directions that are in the report and we are absolutely committed to working as hard as we can to put them into practice. Mark McCabe has said that our polices and procedures are not up to scratch and we have to do something about that.
''What Mark has said that at the time [of the bullying incidents] we did fail to provide a safe workplace.'' Australian Education Union acting ACT branch secretary Glenn Fowler praised the courage and tenacity of CIT staff who had complained.
''The WorkSafe ACT findings that CIT has failed to meet its duty under both the Work Safety Act 2008 and Work Health and Safety Act 2011 provide a solid vindication of the efforts made by the teachers who have pursued justice over the last four years,'' he said.
