“I’d like to bring it up, but…”
Do you or your colleagues sometimes keep your opinions or concerns to yourself, or remain silent about inappropriate practices on the part of your employer, because you’re afraid of negative consequences?
Consequences, reprisals, retaliatory measures – these may take the form of official disciplinary actions. They may also be far more subtle as responsibilities are taken away, career advancement is blocked, schedules are manipulated, or people are socially excluded.
Omertà: the code of silence
Fear of retaliation runs so deep within the health and social services system that it has led to an actual code of silence in an environment where transparency and open communication are absolutely necessary to ensure quality care.
The culture of non-disclosure that has taken root over time is a true form of omertà requiring that people conceal management faults and avoid communicating about problems that might otherwise be solved, which would lead to better care.
Situations that are experienced in silence can become entrenched, increasing the risk of negative consequences on the quality of care and on employees’ mental and physical health.
An element of work overload
Fear of reprisals and omertà generate stress, isolation, a feeling of helplessness, and reduced commitment.
The pressure experienced by employees may be intense and may contribute to an increase in their experienced workload, affecting their well-being and their physical and mental health.
Management focusing on performance (see Factsheet No. 2) also adds to this pressure, with accountability based on performance and volume at the expense of feedback on processes.
Breaking the silence
Speaking out is the only way of breaking the culture of silence. Individually and collectively, we are responsible for pushing our organizations to promote a culture of transparency and to encourage open and honest communication.
While collective mobilization is the best way of achieving this objective, there are cases where we need to act individually and denounce reprehensible situations that can harm service users or employees.
Protection does exist, both in your collective agreement and in the law, for people who want to be whistleblowers. If you want to denounce a situation – whether individually or collectively – but are afraid of reprisals, your local union team can help you. Don’t hesitate to seek its advice.