Important lessons from France Telecom suicide investigations

On 9 April 2010, according to media reports, an investigating magistrate was appointed to investigate the more than 30 suicides that have occurred in the France Telecom (FT) workforce. This follows the November 2009 court finding that management policy could generate harassment. An inspectors report in February 2010 identified that “pathogenic” management methods were applied to achieve a job reduction target of  22,000 between 2006 and … Continue reading “Important lessons from France Telecom suicide investigations”

Restorative Justice research gets funding boost as US hearings focus on workplace bullying and suicide

The role of restorative justice in workplace incidents has received a major boost from the Legal Services Board in Victoria.  According to an April 2010 newsletter from the Creative Ministries Network additional research funding has been received for a quality assurance framework.  As mentioned in the article below restorative justice could have particular benefits to instances of workplace bullying. … Continue reading “Restorative Justice research gets funding boost as US hearings focus on workplace bullying and suicide”

Some families in South Australia blame WorkCover for their partners’ suicides

In January 2010, Today Tonight in South Australia aired a disturbing report about the workers compensation reforms in that State.  It talks to two widows who blame WorkCover SA as contributing to their husbands’ suicides.  One man left a suicide note explicitly blaming WorkCover SA, emphasising his point by jumping to his death from the … Continue reading “Some families in South Australia blame WorkCover for their partners’ suicides”

Self development course contributes to a workplace suicide

What would you do if a work colleague strips, screams, acts “like a child having a tantrum”, starts to sing and then jumps out of a window to her death?  That is the situation that was faced by staff at the Sydney office of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in December 2005. Only days … Continue reading “Self development course contributes to a workplace suicide”

Work-related suicides in Europe

The Irish Times has reported on a speech made by Dr Jukka Takala, Director of EU-OSHA, in Spain in November 2009. “[Dr Takala] said since the publication of a recent study showing a very high level of work-related suicides by French Telecom workers, there was an urgency about getting this information. “Personally, I favour a … Continue reading “Work-related suicides in Europe”

Executive resigns over work-related suicides

According to various media reports, a senior executive of France Telecome has resigned due to the mismanagement of the organisational restructure of the company which has been happening for almost two years and that, some say, has led to suicides. One report says: “France Telecom’s deputy chief executive Louis-Piere Wenes had faced calls to resign … Continue reading “Executive resigns over work-related suicides”

23rd suicide at France Telecome in 18 months

Adam Sage has been following the suicides that have occurred in France Telecome for some time.  On 23 September 2009 in the TimesOnline (a week later in The Australian newspaper??), Sage provides a useful summary and cogitation on the “cluster”. But although this number of suicides in one company should be alarming, it is not … Continue reading “23rd suicide at France Telecome in 18 months”