FNV research shows transgressive behavior at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

Civil servants at the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport have had to deal with "bullying, intimidation, discrimination and other forms of undesirable behavior," the FNV labor union concluded after it conducted a survey of ministry employees. The union said that management often does not deal with perpetrators, and the leaders of the ministry are often guilty of misconduct themselves. Complaints of racism, discrimination, harassment, favoritism and exclusion were frequent.

The FNV said that transgressive behavior is perpetrated by a manager in two-thirds of cases. The remaining third is an issue caused by a colleague. As a result of the situation, more than a fourth of those surveyed are looking for another job. More than 20 employees reported that they have had suicidal thoughts.

One in three civil servants said they feel uncomfortable voicing a dissenting opinion in meetings, and over a quarter do not feel as if they are treated respectfully. More than a third do not dare speak about undesirable behavior with co-workers or their direct manager.

Racist remarks, sexual harassment and mocking people with disabilities

"Blacks shouldn't complain so much" was a sentence one ministry employee heard from a colleague, the civil servant told FNV. It is one of many examples that the union heard about discrimination on the ministry's work floor. People made "racist comments in conversation," and people of diverse heritage and backgrounds allegedly faced intimidation. One of the workers reported that others "joked about my disability."

Employees have also spoken about sexual harassment. "A colleague put his hand on my backside. There were no consequences," one person said as an example. Others reported that sexually suggestive comments were made to them.

Intimidation is another problem that was mentioned often. People said that they were screamed at, laughed at, and degraded. They complained about unrealistic deadlines or said they heard about meetings at the last minute, meaning they could not prepare for them. Claims of favoritism were also made, and people said they often were excluded, ignored, and undermined.

FNV: Pattern is evident, but corrective measures have not happened

The FNV did not check the veracity of the complaints, but the pattern is similar to what it previously found at a smaller scale. At the end of last year, the FNV conducted an initial survey of about a hundred ministry employees. Several thousand people are employed there. That early survey also revealed reports of inappropriate behavior. FNV then said that it was not about the political top, but about middle management. The ministry leadership was informed of the initial findings, but they did not intervene forcefully enough, the FNV said.

Further investigation, in which almost 60 civil servants participated, revealed more incidents. Moreover, there was also trouble at the highest levels of the ministry. "The stories we know are in no way inferior to the excesses at the public broadcaster," FNV said, comparing the ministry's work environment to the recent report about bullying and harassment at the NPO broadcasting system. "It is alarming that there are perpetrators right up to the top. These are precisely the people who have to set a good example," said the FNV.

According to the research, the problems mainly occur at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Central Information Point for Healthcare Professions (CIBG). The Deputy Secretary General Directorates (PSGD) department is also mentioned. Within the civil service organization, this is the department of the second highest civil servant in the ministry, after the Secretary General.

The FNV wants managers "who cause and maintain insecurity" to be replaced and to make sure there will be a cultural change. The union said that people who filed complaints have been suspended in the past, or were at risk of being dismissed for speaking out. The FNV wants those disciplinary procedures to be halted.

Labor Inspectorate now investigating

The Dutch Labor Inspectorate started an investigation into the allegations at the ministry. "The FNV reported this to us, and a discussion with the union occurred as a result. We will address that report," a spokesperson said.

The inspection emphasized that the investigation is in its beginning phase. The service is collecting information and seeing what they are authorized to do in response. The organization is not looking at precisely what was said and by whom. A spokesperson stated, it is "not our job to determine whether an employee with a complaint is right." The inspector looks at what an employer does to counteract misconduct, how they check if their approach works, and what they do if it doesn't."

The Dutch Labor Inspectorate thinks it is essential that everybody has a safe and healthy work physically and mentally. "An employee's feelings on the work floor do not just affect their functionality but also their health. Work stress can arise if working conditions, such as psychological pressure and interaction with others, are not good." That pressure can lead to health problems. The inspectorate can intervene when an employer, in this case, the ministry, does not do enough about this.