Over one-third of second-level teachers have suffered physical abuse, mainly from pupils, at some stage in their careers, according to a survey by ASTI, the secondary teachers' union.
Bullying is defined as "aggressive behaviour which is systematic and ongoing".
The survey of over 600 second-level teachers found that more than two-thirds of them had experienced verbal abuse, mainly from pupils and parents. One-third had experienced bullying behaviour from parents at parent-teacher meetings.
Some 37 per cent of teachers had received verbal abuse from pupils over 16; 35 per cent from pupils aged 12-15; and 29 per cent from parents.
Some 22 per cent of teachers had suffered physical abuse such as pushing, slapping, kicking and having doors slammed in their faces from pupils over 16, while 23 per cent reported similar abuse from pupils aged 12-15. Just 3 per cent had suffered physical abuse from parents.
Only 9 per cent of the teachers questioned said that they had been sexually harassed; unsurprisingly, 92 per cent of these were women.
The main effects of bullying and harassment were tearfulness (50 per cent of respondents), anger (41 per cent), stress (40 per cent), loss of concentration (37 per cent), disturbed sleep (32 per cent) and deterioration in work (26 per cent).
Nearly three-quarters of second-level schools have a bullying policy. However, only 9 per cent of these address the needs of both pupils and teachers; 64 per cent address the needs of pupils only.
Some 83 per cent of respondents described the atmosphere in their schools as "harmonious" or "moderate", with only 16 per cent describing it as "not acceptable" or "tense".
Among the ASTI recommendations arising from the survey are that the union should highlight the legal requirement for a comprehensive safety statement in all schools and that this should "include procedures to identify bullying as a workplace hazard and to include procedures to eliminate the problem where it arises".
The ASTI's general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon, said that the three teacher unions were currently discussing a joint approach to "questions of pay". This was in the context of the forthcoming negotiations on a new national pay and partnership agreement. Unresolved matters from the PCW were on the agenda also.
Mr Lennon said that teachers felt they had been left behind other workers in the public sector, such as nurses and gardai, who had reached agreement only in the PCW's later stages.
They would also want to discuss how benefits such as bonus payments and share options, which were enjoyed by workers in the private sector, could be obtained for teachers in a new national agreement.