Lifelong Fulham supporter Paul Kenny, GMB senior ffficial and a member of the TUC General Council, is calling on the Referees Association to take action and to use the courts if necessary...

Twenty years ago bullying and the various forms of harassment were tolerated in Britain's workplaces.

However, since then attitudes and understanding have changed completely. This behaviour is no longer tolerated because of the misery and ill health that it can cause.

The same is now true in our schools where staff do not allow the children to bully or taunt one another.

Football stadiums are the only workplaces in Britain where this behaviour is still tolerated.

There are now laws banning bullying and harassment on the grounds of gender, race and disability. Also, all employers have a vicarious liability for the effects of bullying and harassment of their employees, whether it is by their managers or their colleagues.

Behaviour that is no longer tolerated includes aggressive physical or verbal confrontations, crowding out, abusive language, foul language, shouting, threats or false accusations.

Harassment, in general is unwanted conduct affecting the dignity of people in the workplace.

It may be persistent or an isolated incident. It could be unwanted sexual advances, the spreading of malicious rumours, or insulting someone, ridiculing or demeaning someone or picking on them or setting them up to fail, exclusion or victimisation, unfair treatment, overbearing supervision or other misuse of power or position.

People at work who are subjected to such behaviour can suffer from serious stress and ill health. The symptoms can be the loss of sleep, dreading the next day at work and the loss of self-confidence.

They can suffer from headaches, migraine, rashes, sweating/shaking, feeling or being sick, irritable bowels, the loss of appetite, anxiety, panic attacks, depression and tearfulness.

They can become irritable, withdrawn, increase their consumption of tobacco and alcohol.

If their employers fail to confront and deal with the problem the victim can take them and the perpetrators to an Employment Tribunal. If they win their case they are likely to be awarded compensation for their suffering.

It is completely and utterly unacceptable on the football pitch. We call on club managers and real professional players in the game to stand up and speak out against this.

Head teachers recently called for football not to be shown on TV before 9 pm because of the bad example it sets our children.

This would not be necessary if the Referees Association took action to end the culture of bullying and harassment against their members in football grounds which is no longer acceptable in any other workplace.