A push to bring down the amount of abusive behaviour council staff experience.

Christchurch City Council data reveals staff experience an average of 259 incidents of abuse every year.

Reporting via the council's health and safety system shows 615 incidents in 2022, a significant jump from 2017.

Customer Service Representatives have tagged 825 customer interactions as ‘abusive’ in the past two years - nearly 90 percent happen over the phone.

Council says these figures likely under report the problem as staff have become accustomed to abuse.

The PSA has 773 members at Christchurch City Council.

National sector lead Ian Gordon says the numbers are on the rise.

"Employers need to know that it's happening, so we always encourage members and staff generally to report these incidents."

Ian Gordon also says the problem is nation-wide.

"We are hearing from our members that these sorts of incidents are on the increase. I think partly that is because reporting is becoming better."