RM worker claims 'bullying boss timed staff toilet breaks'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail worker claims 'bullying boss timed staff toilet breaks'

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Somali-born Shamin Husen, 30, also claims she was banned from attending prayers by her manager

Royal Mail parcel sorters had to seek permission to use the toilet - and their visits were timed, an employee has claimed.

Details of a "bullying" regime were outlined by a staff member who told an employment tribunal on Tuesday that she was also banned from attending prayers.

Somali-born Shamin Husen, 30, claimed that her "bullying boss" made her life hell at the Royal Mail depot in Langley, Berks, which sorts parcels coming into the UK from Heathrow airport.

She told the tribunal that she was bullied and singled out by manager Talib Hussain.

In her witness statement, she said: "Talib was horrible.

"He bullied me, harassed me, intimidated me and victimised me most of the time."

Mrs Husen claimed she was made to feel like she could not go to the toilet because her manager would time how long she was gone and he allegedly stopped her from attending prayers when other Muslims were not challenged.

The tribunal heard that Mrs Husen first encountered problems with her manager in December 2013, when he stopped her from going to the toilet.

Representing Royal Mail, Bridget Tokhai said: "You claim Mr Hussain stopped you when you went to the toilet and monitored how long you were in the toilet.

"You say this was all part of him maintaining a watch over you.

"On what basis, apart from the fact that you are a woman and a Muslim, were you made to feel discriminated against?"

Mrs Husen, from Hounslow, replied: "Because he would not stop men visiting the toilet."

The tribunal heard that Mr Hussain took on the role of manager in October 2013, when he asked everyone to tell him when they were leaving the work area, whether it was for a smoking break, a comfort break or to attend prayers.

It is alleged he challenged Mrs Husen when she returned from a toilet break because he believed she had been gone for around 20 minutes.

Ms Tokhai said: "Mr Hussain says in his statement he would make a mental note if someone was absent from the floor.

"That is not the same as keeping a watch over someone excessively, is it?

"He is entitled to ask the question if he believed you were away for too long. He didn't stop you from going to the toilet."

Mrs Husen replied: "He did."

The tribunal heard Mrs Husen had joined Royal Mail in 2007 and worked as a manual sorter at the Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre in Langley, Berks.

She claims she was subjected to sexual and religious discrimination by Mr Hussain and the Royal Mail group.

Ms Tokhai said: "What the evidence suggests is that Mr Hussain did not single you out.

"You were all expected to tell him when you left the floor."

One month later, in January 2014, Mr Hussain allegedly stopped Mrs Husen on her way to prayers.

Ms Tokhai said: "You say you were not able to perform prayers even though other Muslims were going without asking permission.

"What else, apart from the fact you are a woman and a Muslim, made you feel discriminated against?'

Mrs Husen replied: "I was the only Somali, the only Muslim, in that area."

Ms Tokhai said: "Mr Husen says the reason he challenged you is because you failed to tell him where you were going."

Mrs Husen replied: "For that particular prayer time, yes.'

Ms Tokhai said: "As you left the floor without his permission, was that not a reason for him to challenge you?"

Mrs Husen replied: "Yes, but he did not ask others and others did not ask permission."

Ms Tokhai said Mr Hussain had not singled her out based on her sex or religion.

When pushed on whether this was correct, Mrs Husen replied: "Yes."

The tribunal also heard Mr Hussain allegedly gave Mrs Husen "unreasonable" targets.

However, Ms Tokhai said: "You were not the only one who was challenged for your performance.

"Others were challenged and they were not Muslim employees."

Mrs Husen replied: "Yes."

In March 2014, Mr Hussain allegedly isolated Mrs Husen from her colleagues by moving her to a different department.

The tribunal heard it was common practice for staff to be moved around and Ms Tokhai said: "He did not move you to isolate you, he moved you because an extra pair of hands was needed.

"Your sex and religion has nothing to do with it."

Mrs Husen replied: "It has."

Judge Andrew Gumbiti-Zimuto said: "You say you were moved several times because of your sex and your religion.

"Do you accept when you were moved there was a legitimate need for you or someone else to be moved at that time?"

Mrs Husen replied: "No. There was a procedure which was not being followed."

A colleague of Mrs Husen broke down in tears on Tuesday when she recounted what her friend had gone through.

Bing Wang became emotional as she relived the moment she was also stopped by manager Talib Hussain while returning from the toilet.

She told the hearing: "He bullied me too.

"When he saw I was with Shamin, he stopped me too.

"All of it made me so stressed I asked to be moved to another area."

Ms Wang added: "Except for Shamin, he would never ask other people.

"He wouldn't stop other people."

Ms Wang told the tribunal she was returning from a toilet break with Mrs Husen in November 2013 when Mr Hussain stopped both of them and challenged them about how long they had taken.

Ms Tokhai said: "On the face of it, you had your own disagreements with Mr Hussain, so you cannot give an objective view can you?"

Through tears, Ms Wang replied: "I can. What he did was wrong."

Earlier, the tribunal heard from another employee, Rakmita Talwar, who said: "Shamin said she did not want to go to the toilet because she did not want to be conduct coded.

"She was scared of Talib.

"He always stopped her.

"I cried about it.

"I felt stressed for what she was going through.

"It made me feel like, why is this happening?"

Ms Tokhai said: "You said Mr Hussain was a bully , so how can you give an unbiased opinion?"

Ms Talwar replied: "It is not biased.

"I felt scared he might start to do it to me as well."

Another colleague, Eric Darpoh, who worked in the dispatch area, told the tribunal he saw the manager stop Mrs Husen from going to prayer.

He said: "It seemed like he picked on her.

"I spoke to him and said you can't single out certain people but he carried on."

Ms Tokhai said: "You say he used to glare at you.

"So he watched and monitored you too?"

Mr Darpoh replied: "He wanted to target us."

The tribunal heard Mr Hussain no longer worked at Royal Mail.

Michael Duodo, a colleague and union representative at Royal Mail since 2005, said: "I was informed the manager had stopped Shamin Husen from going to the toilet.

"I raised the issue with him and he admitted it.

"He was of the view that it was right for a manager to stop people from going to the toilet or to prayers, so I had to explain to him that at Royal Mail, we don't do that."

Ms Tokhai said: "Did you witness Mr Hussain stopping Mrs Husen from going to prayers or to the toilet?"

Mr Duido replied: "No."

The tribunal, in Reading, Berks, continues.

[datasaint]

What a load of over hyped BS. This employee honestly thinks she can swan about whenever she likes without the managers say so, then cries discrimination. This kind of case makes a mockery of proper tribunals.

[jack~jack]

I would hope visiting the toilet is a basic human right. If a manager thinks he has the right to stop anyone, I'd say he has mental problems.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

What a load of over hyped BS. This employee honestly thinks she can swan about whenever she likes without the managers say so, then cries discrimination. This kind of case makes a mockery of proper tribunals.

Read the article please - she isn't complaining about being treated the same as others, she is complaining about being singled out. That is the very definition of discrimination.

Part of her claim is she was refused permission to go to the toilet, when other staff wandered off without even asking. SHould she ask for permission, yes, but so should others, if they aren't enforcing the rules for all, but enforcing it for one that is discrimination.

[Red Robbo]

Sounds like to me the manager was a complete idiot and pleased to read that he has left the business

[savo]

was all this happening here in the UK ?

[datasaint]

What a load of over hyped BS. This employee honestly thinks she can swan about whenever she likes without the managers say so, then cries discrimination. This kind of case makes a mockery of proper tribunals.

Read the article please - she isn't complaining about being treated the same as others, she is complaining about being singled out. That is the very definition of discrimination.

It's all too easy to cry about being singled out when you don't get your way.

By her own account she left to attend prayers without asking, I'm sure there were numerous other occasions where she did the same, hence why it got the attention of the manager in the first place.

[mismanaged]

Sounds like to me the manager was a complete idiot and pleased to read that he has left the business

Oh He has not left the business. He was re-instated. The appeal found that he had been dismissed unfairly.
incidentally he only ever asked staff to notify him if they were leaving the floor to go and pray. sounds perfectly reasonable.

[Cyclopz]

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =2&t=68451" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Sounds like to me the manager was a complete idiot and pleased to read that he has left the business

Oh He has not left the business. He was re-instated. The appeal found that he had been dismissed unfairly.
incidentally he only ever asked staff to notify him if they were leaving the floor to go and pray. sounds perfectly reasonable.

Indeed it is reasonable, if all the staff are treated the same, and with respect. Although, I would think muslim women would find it distressing if they had to tell any male that they had to go to the toilet.

Reading between the lines this seems an age old problem at RM, its not what is requested, its how its requested

[Cyclopz]

Reading between the lines this seems an age old problem at RM, its not what is requested, its how its requested

Managers that don't know how to talk to people properly, sounds familiar to me.
You know in order for diversity to really work each ethnic group has to have an ethnic manager for that group.
Sounds crazy but ultimately that is what is required.

[Tman]

Yeah, that would really work well. There wouldn't be any claims of "the XXXXXXX's getting an easier time than the rest of us", or the "YYYYYs being allowed to go early" would there? Oh no.
How divided do you really want the work place/force to be?
Shame poor old Shamin had an Asian boss, otherwise she could've played the race card and then it would be a guaranteed win at the tribunal.

[Cyclopz]

Shame poor old Shamin had an Asian boss, otherwise she could've played the race card and then it would be a guaranteed win at the tribunal.

Racism was mentioned, boss was a Pakistani and she is Somali.

Pakistani male so sexism was mentioned, the only thing that couldn't be used was religious discrimination because he and she are both muslim.

It would seem that the thing the company wants least of all is a united workforce so these problems of various ethnic groups in fighting are a small price to pay
to keep everyone divided. It must all be in the planning either that or this diversity is just one big accident which is probably more of a scarier idea than planning the whole thing.

That's how I see it anyway.

[Tman]

It would seem that the thing the company wants least of all is a united workforce so these problems of various ethnic groups in fighting are a small price to pay

Why would this, or any company, want an ethnically-divided work force?
You need to stay away from those C/T web-sites.

[Cyclopz]

You need to stay away from those C/T web-sites.

What's a C/T website?
Listen, I live this every day and I say as I see it.

Why would a company want an ethnically divided workforce I don't know but they sure have one at where I work.
And there must be a reason for it so why don't you hazard a guess as to what the reason is?

Please tell me your thoughts, why is the company required to employ people from different ethnic groups?
Why did the company conduct an ethnic survey the minute I walked into the place?
Why did they want to know from which ethnic group all us new starters are from?

I have my own thoughts but would love to know yours?