BURSLEM DELIVERY OFFICE MANAGMENT BULLYING VICTIM

jim27 · Post by **jim27** » 05 Dec 2008, 18:56

I was employed as a full time postaman at Burslem delivery office from Aug 02 until May 08. When I was forced into finishing on medical grounds due to a continued campaign of bullying and harassment by two delivery office managesr, one of the managers was working in the office from around Jan 07 until December 07, the other takeing his role in Jan 08.

Just to outline my postion at the time, without going into to much detail, I had a number of personal problems which left me suffering from depression and stress which caused me to takeing sick leave in order to rebuild my life.

The bullying and harassment was started by the first DOM at Burslem during my sick leave. Again without me going into to much detail this consisted of threats of supension, being subject to constant intrusive phone calls, one to one meeting with him in which he would bully me and somewhat threaten me into retuning to work, to metion just a few examples.

This campaign of constant bullying left me feeling very alone and isolated and bearing the personal probelms I had been through earlier in the year affected my mental state even more.

I must also stress that although Burslem DO has had it fair share of problems, as I am sure many of you are aware. No! member of staff caused me any problems at all. If anything the support I had from my colleagues was a great help.

I managed to return to working around Aug of 07. The bullying continued by the Dom and increased to such a level that following the industrail action that took place at the office I was forced to take sick leave again around Jan 08.

This was the time when the new Dom took over. Again I was subjected to simiar bullying and harassment as before. Athough I would say the Dom was made from the same mould as the first he was far more underhand with his campaign of bullying and harassment directed towards me.

I was then offered Ill health retirement which was pushed upon me as the only way for me to go. This together with the bullying that I had suffered At the had of two Burslem delivery office managers I just caved in and accepeted it. I had no fight left in me. These two managers had systematically bullied me over a long period time which was difficult enough for me with my perosnal problems that I was experiencing.

It is only now several months down the line feeling much stronger and seeing things much clearer that I can see what happened to me was totally wrong and unjust. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this post and ask you to offer me support in righting the wrongs I have endured and helping me regain my employment within Royal Mail as a postman which was a job I once loved

UNITY IS STRENGTH.

brothermagrew · Post by **brothermagrew** » 05 Dec 2008, 19:22

Very sorry to hear of your personal predicament and the injustices you received via RM Managers whilst serving as a postman. If there is one thing that I can't stand then it is as you have come up against, a bully or bullies whilst in employment. Did you never raise complaints via the union of the bullying and harassment that you were receiving?

From reading your post I see that you finally accepted ill health retirement although this was thrust upon you when you were at your lowest ebb. The only bit of advice that I could give to you is for you to buy the book BULLY IN SIGHT - How to predict, resist, challenge and combat workplace bullying author TIM FIELD ISBN 0-9529121-0-4 was priced at £14-95 when I got my hands on a copy. BULLY IN SIGHT is "Probably the most authorative, comprehensive and insightful book on bullying available.

YES you are perfectly correct what happened to you was totally wrong and unjust but there in lies the nature of the beast. I wish you well in your future endevours.

Big Daz · Post by **Big Daz** » 05 Dec 2008, 20:56

Tribunal for constructive dismissal seems the answer, have you kept up CWU membership?

Get the 30 mins free legal advice many solictors offer to see if a tribunal would have a good chance of success.

axeman · Post by **axeman** » 05 Dec 2008, 21:25

Good that your ok now but i know how you feel about the managers concerned i had a similar thing going on but was strong enough to fight and they eventualy moved the arsehole took a few years but i got there in the end............ keep strong buddy

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » 06 Dec 2008, 11:20

Isn't it worrying that after years of trying to stamp out bullying and harassment amongst its employees that it actively encourages it by its management. These dreadful practices by management usually done when an employee is at his/her lowest need to be stamped out and it's about time the union highlighted these bullying tactics amongst the management a bit more. What is more worrying in my experience is these practices of trying to rid the business of people who have ill health seem to more evident amongst newer management who are trying to prove themselves. Unfortunately Royal Mail seem determined to rid themselves of workers who suffer long term sickness rather than supporting them at a difficult time in their lives and I believe this comes from the top. Shame on you.

I'm glad that you are much better and hope that you get justice for the wrongs done to you. Good luck.

wolfie citizen smith · Post by **wolfie citizen smith** » 06 Dec 2008, 12:42

sorry to read about your problems, however a business will not continue support if you feel they have won.....even so WELFARE is offered to all employees whom have trouble within there life, which effects there continuious attendance for work.....DID YOU TAKE THIS OPSION????????????
welfare are great and very supportive.........................Shame on you for not continuing the fight against these humans who believe they are by far greater than you...................and shame on your union representative for not knowing his onions to guide you through your trumatic time.............I hope your life continues on a positive road and wish you well in all that you do.....

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 06 Dec 2008, 21:06

Cunytape

andy2007 · Post by **andy2007** » 07 Dec 2008, 05:30

wolfie citizen smith wrote:sorry to read about your problems, however a business will not continue support if you feel they have won.....even so WELFARE is offered to all employees whom have trouble within there life, which effects there continuious attendance for work.....DID YOU TAKE THIS OPSION????????????
welfare are great and very supportive.........................Shame on you for not continuing the fight against these humans who believe they are by far greater than you...................and shame on your union representative for not knowing his onions to guide you through your trumatic time.............I hope your life continues on a positive road and wish you well in all that you do.....

Saying "Shame on you for not continuing the fight" to someone suffering from depresion, is rediculous. Jim27 has recovered enough, to be able to fight back, and needs our support, not our criticisms.

Normally, I'd agree, that people should stand up for their rights. But once depression really gets a hold of you. All the fight goes out of you. It's a symptom of the illness.

wolfie citizen smith · Post by **wolfie citizen smith** » 07 Dec 2008, 09:00

andy2007 wrote:
wolfie citizen smith wrote:sorry to read about your problems, however a business will not continue support if you feel they have won.....even so WELFARE is offered to all employees whom have trouble within there life, which effects there continuious attendance for work.....DID YOU TAKE THIS OPSION????????????
welfare are great and very supportive.........................Shame on you for not continuing the fight against these humans who believe they are by far greater than you...................and shame on your union representative for not knowing his onions to guide you through your trumatic time.............I hope your life continues on a positive road and wish you well in all that you do.....
Saying "Shame on you for not continuing the fight" to someone suffering from depresion, is rediculous. Jim27 has recovered enough, to be able to fight back, and needs our support, not our criticisms.

Normally, I'd agree, that people should stand up for their rights. But once depression really gets a hold of you. All the fight goes out of you. It's a symptom of the illness.

Way back in the mid 90's when I was sack by Royal Mail, it took over 18 months for my case to go to Industrial Tribunal. For that 18 months my whole world turned upside down, constant medicial diagnoses for depression, I had pills for this and pills for that, somedays I would sleep for days on end, hopeing that this would all go away. Chlordiazepoxide and prozac was my medication... however I never gave up, because i could not believe the injustice that had happened. I was claiming job seekers allowance however this was soon to be taken of me and changed to incapasity benefit, I even had somedays my scibblings made no sense, however I had welfare visit me around my parents because my squat was not fit for an animal let alone a human and i was ashame, but I continued the fight, mainly because this is all i had to think about. I had Headquaters dealing with my case and when finally the tribunal time arrived, it was great to see how they turned the tables on Royal Mail and the tribunals board agreeing with the CWU.
So unfortunatly I disagree with you responce and even now I will continue to fight when I feel employees are being exploited, I believe the depression I suffered has followed me even to this date, because before I had depression I was happy go lucky, but now all i'm doing is looking for reasons to take on Royal Mail. I have been a rep a while ago however I believe some members seem that a quick word from a union rep solves a problem, however you are aware that this is not the case...
I hope this clarifies my reason for the "shame on you" statement

Fraternally

Wolfie

brothermagrew · Post by **brothermagrew** » 07 Dec 2008, 09:37

wolfie citizen smith wrote:
andy2007 wrote:
wolfie citizen smith wrote:sorry to read about your problems, however a business will not continue support if you feel they have won.....even so WELFARE is offered to all employees whom have trouble within there life, which effects there continuious attendance for work.....DID YOU TAKE THIS OPSION????????????
welfare are great and very supportive.........................Shame on you for not continuing the fight against these humans who believe they are by far greater than you...................and shame on your union representative for not knowing his onions to guide you through your trumatic time.............I hope your life continues on a positive road and wish you well in all that you do.....
Saying "Shame on you for not continuing the fight" to someone suffering from depresion, is rediculous. Jim27 has recovered enough, to be able to fight back, and needs our support, not our criticisms.

Normally, I'd agree, that people should stand up for their rights. But once depression really gets a hold of you. All the fight goes out of you. It's a symptom of the illness.
Way back in the mid 90's when I was sack by Royal Mail, it took over 18 months for my case to go to Industrial Tribunal. For that 18 months my whole world turned upside down, constant medicial diagnoses for depression, I had pills for this and pills for that, somedays I would sleep for days on end, hopeing that this would all go away. Chlordiazepoxide and prozac was my medication... however I never gave up, because i could not believe the injustice that had happened. I was claiming job seekers allowance however this was soon to be taken of me and changed to incapasity benefit, I even had somedays my scibblings made no sense, however I had welfare visit me around my parents because my squat was not fit for an animal let alone a human and i was ashame, but I continued the fight, mainly because this is all i had to think about. I had Headquaters dealing with my case and when finally the tribunal time arrived, it was great to see how they turned the tables on Royal Mail and the tribunals board agreeing with the CWU.
So unfortunatly I disagree with you responce and even now I will continue to fight when I feel employees are being exploited, I believe the depression I suffered has followed me even to this date, because before I had depression I was happy go lucky, but now all i'm doing is looking for reasons to take on Royal Mail. I have been a rep a while ago however I believe some members seem that a quick word from a union rep solves a problem, however you are aware that this is not the case...
I hope this clarifies my reason for the "shame on you" statement

Fraternally

Wolfie

Brother wolfie in your case it shows that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. Can we take it then that part of the Tribunals decision was a judgement made in your favour for you to be reinstated in your old job? Can you share why you were originally sacked by RM in the first place? Depression is indeed one of life's great ills.

Do you still have to this day a copy of your Tribunal Judgement and findings?

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 07 Dec 2008, 10:37

Jim. I suffered similar in a previous job, harrassed and victimised towards the end of an unblemished 29 career, suspended on a trumped up charge of gross misconduct and eighteen months off with anxiety, stress and depression before eventually being cleared. Two years of my life wasted, but a year later I started with Royal Mail and have never looked back. So good luck to you in finding a job that suits you with management that respects you such that you can lead a normal life again.

andy2007 · Post by **andy2007** » 07 Dec 2008, 12:20

I take my hat off to you Wolfie!

I wish I could have been that strong when I had my breakdown.

I became so paranoid, that I couldn't bring myself to have any contact with RM (or even EHS). Luckily, my Wife was able to support me, and take care of keeping in contact with Work. It actually made me far worse, with the Managers constantly demanding to speak to me in person. Rather than talking to my Wife. In the end, she threatened to take them to Court for harrassment, and they agreed to speak to her, instead of me.

If she hadn't done that. I doubt I'd of ever been able to return to RM. I've been back at Work for some time now, and have my symptoms under control (still on a high dose of Citalopram after nearly 3 years). But after my experiences, I can fully understand someone giving up, when they are at their worst ebb. But it doesn't mean that Jim shouldn't fight back, now he's feeling up to it.

wolfie citizen smith · Post by **wolfie citizen smith** » 07 Dec 2008, 14:19

Brother Magrew

Yes I do indeed still have a copy of the Tribunals findings which I have within a folder with other important documentation I have collected over the course of my life.
regarding the course of how my dismissal came about, this was because of "Abandament of Duty"

. I had an accident at work which prevented me from carring out my afternoon collection, however I informed the PHG (this was in the day when PHG ment something) I was unable to perform my collection. The PHG contacted the next person on the call out sheet to continue with my collection I was unable to do. The Delivery Office Manager had taken it upon themself to persue the Abandament on duty line and continued this to the sector manager, whom i felt was in agreement with the delivery office manager. I believed I was percicuted by Royal Mail. The tribunals believed that Royal Mail acted inapropreatly and I was granted my reinstatement with a compansation payment attached. The managers are no longer with the business (retirment not dismissal) and it seems that management are still reading the same " how not to get on with staff" rule booklet, which is why I fight all and anyone I feel has misused there posistion....

Andy2007

I hope you feel better now and believe with time employees will recieve the rights they require, when there are people like you and I still employed within Royal Mail, unfortunatley my belief is WE are a dieing bread

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 07 Dec 2008, 17:57

To "jim27" i too have suffered at the hand's of the bullying management it is hard enough when you are fit and well nevermind when you are in the depth's of depression and are feeling down. I WISH YOU WELL.

wolfie citizen smith · Post by **wolfie citizen smith** » 07 Dec 2008, 18:24

k979aaa wrote:To "jim27" i too have suffered at the hand's of the bullying management it is hard enough when you are fit and well nevermind when you are in the depth's of depression and are feeling down. I WISH YOU WELL.

k979aaa
Depression makes you hard faced, unforgiven and sceptical to all around you, you trust no one and feel injustice within work when others are getting away with murder "so to speak".
Bullying management can be dealt with "a long process" i agree, however it does not take much in life to trigger that part of your mind to start the bull rolling again and fight as hard as you can to stop all around you, which unfortunatley alianates all employees around you and you feel all alone yet again....
Question
Do you confront management about agreements being broken and P**S ALL YOU COLLEAGUES OFF?
or
Do you leave well alone and just put up with not only Royal Mail taking the P**S but your colleagues too?