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Meg Elliott on poor behaviour at markets

For most auctioneers a ‘View from the Rostrum’ is an opportunity to chat about trade, give an opinion on the current situation and, if you are brave, maybe even crystal ballgaze and try to predict the future.
Yes, I could do that, but in all honesty, I think it has pretty much been said by those before me, who
also probably know a great deal more than I do. So instead, I am going to offer another, and I suppose quite different ‘View from the Rostrum’.

A little bit like the signs you see in doctors’ surgeries or in accident and emergency departments, the livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA) has recently circulated a generic ‘Code of Conduct’ poster for
display within markets, which clearly states that aggressive or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.
It is a small but important step that has been made as a result of feedback from within the industry that
‘unreasonable’ behaviour is becoming more and more commonplace. It is true that markets can be
highly-charged environments where sometimes emotions, for many reasons, can run high and tempers can be lost, including my own – I am not a redhead for nothing.
Banter is ‘part and parcel’ of the job, however it is never acceptable to intentionally intimidate or belittle someone or indeed act aggressively towards a person who is simply trying to do their job.
As an industry I feel that it is vitally important to call out such behaviour and more importantly as individuals not to be afraid to address it if you are on the receiving end, or indeed be brave enough to
step in, if you observe it being directed at somebody else.
This requires the backing of those holding senior positions within livestock markets in terms of supporting the many members of a market team but also, fundamentally for it to be effective, it is
imperative that a zero tolerance policy is adopted universally throughout all livestock markets. Essentially it comes back to decent human behaviour. No matter what profession you work in, nobody should be expected to deal with any form of abuse, verbal or physical.
We have some amazing young auctioneers within our industry, many of whom I have been privileged enough to teach on the auctioneers course at Harper Adams University. As a group we have discussed the issue at length and unfortunately all have experienced poor conduct directed at them, at some point. It would be an absolute travesty if any of them should feel the need to leave their chosen career path because of a person’s inability to behave appropriately.

I, therefore, applaud the LAA for taking this initial step and as a strong and thriving industry, for those who are employed within it and those that utilise its services, let us act on this initiative and stamp unacceptable behaviour out.