Bullying and Harrassment

[bexhil palace]

We have been told that if we cut off, we will have to go before the DOM, and fully explain the reasons for doing so.
Now this holds no fear for me, and a few others in our office,but i know for a fact that many will not be confident enough to stand up for themselves, and so they will feel the need to do whatever it takes to get their deliveries completed.
We already have at least 70% of the office not doing the job properly, and this will only exacerbate the problem.

[Budfrog]

Anyone who believes that Moya Greene , Mark Higson and Steve Cameron do not have a very good idea of what is going on is naive - they know the type of senior managers they have in post and they know the type of behaviours that are being permitted by them. There are senior managers within Royal Mail who are known to bully their own direct reports and so it should be no surprise when this type of behaviour filters down to DOM/LM level. Of course budget driven targets, many of which are unachievable, don't help but it is no excuse - there needs to be zero tolerance at every level.

[Martin Walsh]

Wow everyone calling me naive !!! Have any of you met these people ? I have had rows with plenty of managers but I would not say they were all bullies. I know the ones who I would say were.

fish you say that the main bullying and harrassment has got nothing to do with working beyond their time well does that mean we ignore the members who have responded who have said that this was the main issue about bullying.

maybe I a too naive for this site As you all know all the issues and everything anyone says to the opposite is either naive or on the side of the bully !!

[Stormproof]

Now we have a 'Performance Manager' things have got even worse at my office. Permanent staff being threatened with the Conduct Code and the FTC being threatened with not having their contracts renewed. Its got so bad that I'm having to get the Area Rep involved and having to make phone calls to him almost every day concerning this. There are so many staff having issues that I can't cope with it on my own anymore. One new starter has been yelled at so much by this manager they were going to walk this morning.

[Lincox]

No Dingo. What Fish said was the problem wasn,t SIMPLY working beyond their time. It is more about what happens if they do pose the question to their manager, and the insinuations about the way you work.

[chrisj]

Interesting post from Stormproof...

It certainly not as black and white as some here tends to put things. Are there real performance issues though?

[Stormproof]

Obviously there have always been some issues but things got worse......a lot worse since P & L was introduced 2 years ago. Yes we have a few that take the piss but now everyone is being treated like they are taking the piss and this Performance manager is constantly ranting and shouting at staff. In the past week staff have been shouted at for forgetting PDA's, vans not starting, cutting off, not getting out of the office quick enough etc etc. I should also say this person is only an acting manager but appears to be the DSM's on the floor bully boy.

[fishtank]

fish you say that the main bullying and harrassment has got nothing to do with working beyond their time well does that mean we ignore the members who have responded who have said that this was the main issue about bullying.

Again you refute a proposition that I didn't propose to redirect the argument.

I did not say bullying and harassment has got nothing to do with working beyond their time,I said that members being forced to work beyond their time does not mean that a manager walks up to them and says "you will work beyond your time today",what it means in practice is that members are pressured out the door with more work than they can manage in their contracted hours under threat of conduct,capability,comparison and testing.

Very few managers would be stupid enough to put it as bluntly as you presume,it's intimidation dingo,it's not difficult to understand.

I can't complete my duty...

Why not? Joe can do it,the traffic is low,it's a performance issue,you know you're only a fixed term contact,we'll have to count your letters,if you finish before your time it's wilful delay,if you don't complete it's wilful delay,if you bring anything back it's wilful delay,you're not prepping fast enough,the IWT says this,Pegasus says that.....

That's what being forced to work over your time looks like at delivery level dingo,relentless intimidation until the member gives up and the managers get what they want.

[tommyrep]

fish you say that the main bullying and harrassment has got nothing to do with working beyond their time well does that mean we ignore the members who have responded who have said that this was the main issue about bullying.

Again you refute a proposition that I didn't propose to redirect the argument.

I did not say bullying and harassment has got nothing to do with working beyond their time,I said that members being forced to work beyond their time does not mean that a manager walks up to them and says "you will work beyond your time today",what it means in practice is that members are pressured out the door with more work than they can manage in their contracted hours under threat of conduct,capability,comparison and testing.

Very few managers would be stupid enough to put it as bluntly as you presume,it's intimidation dingo,it's not difficult to understand.

I can't complete my duty...

Why not? Joe can do it,the traffic is low,it's a performance issue,you know you're only a fixed term contact,we'll have to count your letters,if you finish before your time it's wilful delay,if you don't complete it's wilful delay,if you bring anything back it's wilful delay,you're not prepping fast enough,the IWT says this,Pegasus says that.....

That's what being forced to work over your time looks like at delivery level dingo,relentless intimidation until the member gives up and the managers get what they want.

The scenario fish tank describes is the exact stance and quote by quote that Doms spew out to delivery staff almost daily! It beggars the question, who, dIrects this approach/tactic in dealing with staff who dare to simply wish to work their contracted hours, full stop ! So if this the norm throughout the country, surely our union need to adopt a national approach to rampant intimidation as a general problem within the workforce and have it dealt with by Moya et al at the very top and enforce them to address the problem, have it stopped now and provide the members with some respite to this despicable management ploy of underhand bullying/harassment and intimidation.

[ashadd]

Obviously there have always been some issues but things got worse......a lot worse since P & L was introduced 2 years ago. Yes we have a few that take the piss but now everyone is being treated like they are taking the piss and this Performance manager is constantly ranting and shouting at staff. In the past week staff have been shouted at for forgetting PDA's, vans not starting, cutting off, not getting out of the office quick enough etc etc. I should also say this person is only an acting manager but appears to be the DSM's on the floor bully boy.

Kin el.......I wish I could work in his office for a week...

These bastards should be brought down a peg or two.Its no use just a couple standing up to them, we all have to do our bit, but as one. I know some wont, its the same at my office, they would rather watch someone else get grief rather than let it happen to them.BUT.....They cant hit you, if they shout , just walk away,make sure you have plenty of witnesses to back any nonsensical claims made by these bastards.Also, if your performance is alledged to be poor, then all they can do is retrain you, and if it only gets slightly better , then there is nothing they can do, the feckin bastards

[newtimes]

"These are big problems. And if you consider that the people that have been running the NHS have created that culture of fear, they need either to be held to account or new people need to be brought in to change that culture."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21444058" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A national disgrace, there should be a Zero tolerance to bullying and harrassment in our country.

[mojothefishmo]

fish you say that the main bullying and harrassment has got nothing to do with working beyond their time well does that mean we ignore the members who have responded who have said that this was the main issue about bullying.

Again you refute a proposition that I didn't propose to redirect the argument.

I did not say bullying and harassment has got nothing to do with working beyond their time,I said that members being forced to work beyond their time does not mean that a manager walks up to them and says "you will work beyond your time today",what it means in practice is that members are pressured out the door with more work than they can manage in their contracted hours under threat of conduct,capability,comparison and testing.

Very few managers would be stupid enough to put it as bluntly as you presume,it's intimidation dingo,it's not difficult to understand.

I can't complete my duty...

Why not? Joe can do it,the traffic is low,it's a performance issue,you know you're only a fixed term contact,we'll have to count your letters,if you finish before your time it's wilful delay,if you don't complete it's wilful delay,if you bring anything back it's wilful delay,you're not prepping fast enough,the IWT says this,Pegasus says that.....

That's what being forced to work over your time looks like at delivery level dingo,relentless intimidation until the member gives up and the managers get what they want.

Absolutely spot on !!!!!!!!!!!plus after many many many visits to the office with gangs of managers a few members of staff are finally starting to cut off ,only took 2 yrs of me being singled out ,but that said rthe majority of the office STILL cut corners and i dont think that will ever change unless managers are brought to charge (and the lazy postmen and women) and we all know there are plenty .

[Danelectro]

That's what being forced to work over your time looks like at delivery level dingo,relentless intimidation until the member gives up and the managers get what they want.

Thats also what the numbers on the bullying list dont take account of,the amount of people who AVOID B&H.They have seen what happens in their office and know what the result will be if they leave mail or book overtime and many of these people are not even in the union.To work for Royal Mail is to work with people who are willing to do unpaid work on a regular basis,its part of the culture.they wouldnt even dream of complaining or putting in a grievance

B&H left unchecked over many years = work being done for no pay

[hampshireman]

intereresting thread.

As noted before most bullying is not the direct ' you will work over' . Whilst what goes on is not subtle in any way shape or form ; it is designed to wear you down so that you don't want the confrontation. Then the bully wins ; you feel like s**t but accept it because they will lay off you and move to the next target. Job done.

I cut off from time to time (though it becomes more frequent) and work over when I feel. I always tell the Managemengt what I am doing.

Only been challenged once. DOM ' Nobody else is cutting off , they will all complete'. ME: I still can't complete.
DOM ' Your round is doable I used to when I did it' . ME: Was that before the extra two roads were added - totalling 1 hours work?
DOM: 'You must be too slow X can complete' . ME: He's fulltime, comes in early and literally runs around and I still can't complete'
DOM: Gives up

[hatetheboss]

Me, "I want to work my hours so will need to cut off"
Dom, " Traffic is low and x always gets it done"
Me, "I will have to leave some more now"
Dom, "Why is that"
Me " Due to the time you have spent talking to me in the office and if you continue I will need some more taking off".
Dom " shuts up and says leave what you can't do"

Result