Discussions

"Alberta’s labour minister is promising to introduce changes to provincial workplace safety rules within weeks to better protect employees against bullying and psychological harassment."  
 
http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/province-promises-new-protection-against-workplace-bullies-within-weeks  
 
Edited by Integritynhonesty, 2018-01-16 17:41:38

It would be great if this would happen for the City of Brandon's employees, particularly long-term part timers. Of course, all employees should have the right to be free from harassment, bullying etc.

I know this is going to stir something up awful, but when will the "harassment/bullying" allegations stop. Is this just the tip of the iceberg. People need to get some thicker skin, we are teaching our kids to get upset about everything/anything. No one is safe to do anything anymore. Head down, and don't say ANYTHING. End of rant.

Pretty simple, when the bullying harassment stops. What are you supposed to do? Suck it up and take it like a man? Get over it? Move on? Easier said than done.

Enough said "I know this is going to stir something up awful, but when will the "harassment/bullying" allegations stop. Is this just the tip of the iceberg. People need to get some thicker skin, we are teaching our kids to get upset about everything/anything. No one is safe to do anything anymore. Head down, and don't say ANYTHING. End of rant. "

there are places of employment where employees get harassed on a daily basis to the point where going to work is unbearable! Why should this be allowed to continue? If your employer 'doesn't like' you they do anything possible to get rid of you! Even going so far to enlist co-workers to lie about you! HR stands back and does nothing to help the wrongfully accused employee, how is that right?

Enough, what do you want to do but can no longer do at work "No one is safe to do anything anymore". It's really simple NOT to bully or harass people.  
 
Part of the problem is too many people keep their "head down, and don't say ANYTHING". People need to speak up and keep talking until managers and HR departments are forced to deal with bullies and harrassers of the workplace.  
 
Every employee should feel safe in the work place.  
 
The harrassment/bullying allegations will stop when the harrassment and bullying STOPS. It's simple.  
 
A person in a position of power telling a subordinate to "have a thicker skin" is inappropriate. The person is putting the onus/blame on the victim because management/HR doesn't want to deal with it.  
 
It is high time companies pull their heads out of the sand and deal with the REAL workplace issues. An employee who files a complaint is NOT the problem but is treated as one.  
 
Give me the name of Brandon businesses that do NOT ignore workplace bullying and harassment and I will send you a list of good employees who will beg to work in those professional workplaces FREE of the crap they are dealt on a daily basis just to make a buck.  
 
I am not shocked at all when I hear the some "crazy" ex-employee shot up his/her past workplace. I am actually surprised more of it isn't happening on a regular basis.  
 
We can sign all the Respectful Workplace policy forms that we want but if there isn't an owner/supervisor/manager/HR who will enforce the policies and make everyone adhere to the policies, they are as worthless as the paper they are written on.  
 
I have heard horrific workplace harassment accounts and it all just has to stop. I don't understand why it's so difficult to have respect at work. If you can't respect your employees/co-workers/employer, at least have the decency not to bully/harass them.  
 
For every bully and harasser out there, and you know who you are, shame on you. Shame. On. You.

Johnbisonbear said "    Enough said "I know this is going to stir something up awful, but when will the "harassment/bullying" allegations stop. Is this just the tip of the iceberg. People need to get some thicker skin, we are teaching our kids to get upset about everything/anything. No one is safe to do anything anymore. Head down, and don't say ANYTHING. End of rant. " there are places of employment where employees get harassed on a daily basis to the point where going to work is unbearable! Why should this be allowed to continue? If your employer 'doesn't like' you they do anything possible to get rid of you! Even going so far to enlist co-workers to lie about you! HR stands back and does nothing to help the wrongfully accused employee, how is that right? "

HR is paid by the company so they just want the problem to go away and the easiest way to do that is to make the complainant's work life unbearable and to invent reasons for dismissal.  
 
As for Enough stating "we are teaching our kids to get upset about everything/anything", I'd like to think we're teaching our kids that they deserve to feel safe and respected in the workplace.

MDG said "It would be great if this would happen for the City of Brandon's employees, particularly long-term part timers. Of course, all employees should have the right to be free from harassment, bullying etc. "

I agree it would be great to see this happen for the City of Brandon employees. But not just long term part timers. All employees deserve a harassment, bully free place. This place is well known for its "environment" - but does as Hackeda says .. finds ways to push employees out,lie, blame the "complainer".. etc....

Well said.  
Bullying & harassment everywhere needs to stop. It is not as simple as enough says.  
Bullying & harassment is so destructive on many levels. Allowing the behavior to continue &/or escalate is ridiculous - yet it continues to happen. And, when someone tries to have it addressed, you are correct. The person looking to have it addressed is seen as the problem. More often than not, they end up pushed out & unemployed. If they try or push too hard to have the situation addressed, the previous employer/supervisor/manager can make it impossible to find employment....regardless of qualifications. So much needs to change.  
 
Edited by Integritynhonesty, 2018-01-18 02:40:31

Integritynhonesty said "    MDG said "It would be great if this would happen for the City of Brandon's employees, particularly long-term part timers. Of course, all employees should have the right to be free from harassment, bullying etc. " I agree it would be great to see this happen for the City of Brandon employees. But not just long term part timers. All employees deserve a harassment, bully free place. This place is well known for its "environment" - but does as Hackeda says .. finds ways to push employees out,lie, blame the "complainer".. etc.... "

all employees! You'll note that I said "particularly long term part timers". You're so right: the "City" is well known for it's work environment, low moral & add to that, nepotism in hiring. Given that there are no evaluations done, people can be let go for any reason that comes into a supervisor's head on any given day. I think that most Brandon people believe that if you work for the City, you're "in" for life. SO not true, depending on the mood of the chargehand on any given day !!

Is particularly low in the City of Brandon's Transit and CUPE Unions.Bullying and Harrasment are so bad there is no incentive to go to work anymore.Everyday could be your last is on everyone's minds.How they've been getting away with it for this long is beyond my comprehension.Something needs to be done to rid of these people in management positions.PM me and we can really talk.

It’s in a lot of the city departments.

Really? In a city the size of Brandon with a large work force and I would assume a well-staffed (and paid) HR department there are no annual employee evaluations?  
That's just strange.......  
Maybe the new City Manager would care to explain why they are so behind the times.

BlueBear said "Is particularly low in the City of Brandon's Transit and CUPE Unions.Bullying and Harrasment are so bad there is no incentive to go to work anymore.Everyday could be your last is on everyone's minds.How they've been getting away with it for this long is beyond my comprehension.Something needs to be done to rid of these people in management positions.PM me and we can really talk. "

re: CUPE members. As a past executive of CUPE local, there is a much too close "relationship" between some city management & some of the CUPE executive. I found that the union discouraged members from filing legitimate grievances. If you're not on the "in", then you're a troublemaker.

CatMan said "Really? In a city the size of Brandon with a large work force and I would assume a well-staffed (and paid) HR department there are no annual employee evaluations?   That's just strange.......   Maybe the new City Manager would care to explain why they are so behind the times. "

that full time employees do not get evaluations: part time employees do however right before they're laid off for the season. That's where the problem is: things can never be mentioned as a concern for 7 or 8 months then they get dinged on the evaluation!! That can result in no call back to work regardless of how many years of continuous call backs.

CatMan said "Really? In a city the size of Brandon with a large work force and I would assume a well-staffed (and paid) HR department there are no annual employee evaluations?   That's just strange.......   Maybe the new City Manager would care to explain why they are so behind the times. "

I am speculating that what was really meant was exit interviews.... &/OR  
 
and/or Workplace Safety & Health does not appear to follow up or investigate obvious bullying/harassment situations that are apparent.  
 
Evaluations are negatively impacted for any who attempt to have a bullying/harassing situation addressed. Co-workers see this & keep their heads down.  
 
Edited by Integritynhonesty, 2018-01-18 11:56:48

Integritynhonesty said "    CatMan said "Really? In a city the size of Brandon with a large work force and I would assume a well-staffed (and paid) HR department there are no annual employee evaluations?   That's just strange.......   Maybe the new City Manager would care to explain why they are so behind the times. " I am speculating that what was really meant was exit interviews.... &/OR     and/or Workplace Safety & Health does not appear to follow up or investigate obvious bullying/harassment situations that are apparent.     Evaluations are negatively impacted for any who attempt to have a bullying/harassing situation addressed. Co-workers see this & keep their heads down.     Edited by Integritynhonesty, 2018-01-18 11:56:48"

Specific to performance evaluations & Heaven Forbid they should ever consider exit interviews. You really think they want to know the real working conditions?!?! Oddly, CUPE doesn't want evaluations although these should be seen as protecting the employees. It's a truly messed up environment.

Hmm. Looks like perhaps not all departments were completing the evaluations.  
When I was there, I had one done - very biased & no follow up on employee concerns. Very much like a dictatorship workplace culture.

why do employers not evaluate their employees any more? Maybe because then there would be no 'proof' that the employee is indeed a great worker and doesn't deserve to be terminated? That's shameful!

I believe that evaluations are great when used the way they were intended. However I also believe they should be completed for employers by the staff as well.  
 
There are too many close friends and family that are hired and then it turns out you end up being in survivor mode. Very unhealthy work environments. I’ve seen insubordination from staff who were moved up to higher wage positions and those who left rehired. It’s still happening in that organization. Many have left because of it.

The City of Brandon doesn’t do annual performance reviews? How do they decide who gets a pay raise and who doesn’t if no reviews are done? How do they decide on pay grade for an employee without a review of their position once a year? An employee should be reviewed and totals of the review determine their pay scale. At some companies, this grade equates to an annual monetary bonus. Can someone please tell me how this city determines which employees are entitled to a yearly salary increase and which employees aren’t? Sorry, I just can’t believe that in 2018 the City of Brandon doesn’t do annual reviews for each employee. Unacceptable. This is tax payer monies going to salaries. This is just crazy.  
 
If this is the case, then we all need to try a little harder to get good people to sit on council and make the city accountable for these things. City council needs to watch over our tax dollars and make sure city management is doing their jobs.  
 
Evaluations can also be skewed according to who is doing the review and whether the two people are buddies. if they drink together, that's a sign they've got each other's backs. I’ve seen total screw ups get raving reviews. These same screw ups are the ones sleeping at work, stealing, lying, making side deals with customers, committing fraud, breaching confidentiality, and intentionally trying to screw the company over but because they say the right things to a supervisor, their behaviour is ignored.  
 
I’ve also witnessed consistently hard working, loyal employees get next to squat on a review. Work should not be a popularity contest. Why employers embrace the dishonest staff while pushing good staff out the door baffles me. Guess they all need to stick together. Unfortunately, they create a toxic workplace.  
 
I’m still waiting for a list of Brandon businesses that do NOT ignore bullying and harassment.

Unionized employees are more work to get rid of because they need to be written up and the union rep needs to attend the meetings. I'm not saying all, but the unionized staff that I've worked with were next to useless. They abused their positions and they knew that management didn't want to do the paperwork to get them out the door. It is much easier to push a non-unionized employee out. People in positions of power at work really should take a good, hard look at themselves. The company's customers are watching and they know more than they say.

Hackeda said "Unionized employees are more work to get rid of because they need to be written up and the union rep needs to attend the meetings. I'm not saying all, but the unionized staff that I've worked with were next to useless. They abused their positions and they knew that management didn't want to do the paperwork to get them out the door. It is much easier to push a non-unionized employee out. People in positions of power at work really should take a good, hard look at themselves. The company's customers are watching and they know more than they say. "

This is where fair & balanced evaluations come into play. If supervisors are doing their job, keeping adequate notes & communicating honestly with their employees, then it's not "hard to get rid of unionised people". There have been evaluations done in this City: questioned & then changed with white-out That's an absolute no-no!! And if an employee disagreed with a part of an evaluation when it got to the HR department, it was just never heard of again. It's time that there was a complete audit of this city's employees, starting at the top & going right down to the feet on the ground guys & girls.

unhappy staff.... low morale....bullying & harassment... all adds A LOT of additional costs. Turnover is higher. Long-term staff with a lot of experience & knowledge leave. More time & stress to train new staff. Existing staff becomes more frustrated.. all leads to more staff to leave. And so on. Stats show the costs to retrain one new employee can be 1.5 to 2X their salary. That can quickly add up.  
 
Then, if there are numerous payouts.....as there can often be with any workplace with bullying/harassment.  
 
Edited by Integritynhonesty, 2018-01-18 16:45:05

Found it impossible to stay because of the mental abuse and hush meetings slandering and instigating upsets within the work place.  
 
This is an organization that shuns any thought of becoming unionized. Very conniving, misleading with a hidden agenda. Hopefully it will eventually get cleaned up.

through the entire link about Edmonton. Great to see how the problems are going to be investigated & dealt with from now on. As a (hopefully) last thought on this, I hope it's like the flu & spreads all the way across to here! I can say for certain that none of our city council members that I've talked with about this have either any idea or, worse yet - any interest in what goes on. Other than rubber stamping big projects I'm not sure what they're there for.

Employees need to speak up & stand together. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. Many sit back & watch numerous coworkers bullied and harassed. When any of them do take a stand & try to have the harassment/employer "irregularities" in treatment/etc... they just sit back & watch the coworker get pushed out by a variety of ways - i.e. "progressive discipline" - when they were previously star employees & is an obvious cover up. Sometimes, they even take part in the "cover up". This coworker is essentially "thrown under the bus" While most are aware (and some are easily misled in perhaps hopes of advancement or their vacated position), this is only part of the problem.  
EVERYONE has a part in this. Employees need to start writing letters to Workplace Safety & Health, Ministers responsible, standing together (for all & not just the benefit of themselves). We all need to start taking action. Waiting for someone else to address it isn't enough.  
 
Those that seek out legal counsel & are paid out are often silenced. They frequently (if not always) are required to sign a clause to basically keep quiet. It would be interesting to see just how much these payouts have cost some of these organizations.  
 
Regardless of where the bullying/harassment is - inaction allows it to persist.

in a large organization trying to make changes and you take your complaint to HR and HR says ' we want to thank you for bringing this to our attention' watch out! You'll be the next employee thrown under the bus and pushed out of your workplace! And your co-workers will be glad to lie about you too!  
Employers like people who don't 'rock the boat' even if the boat needs to be tipped over!

TEN said "It sounds like everyone on here is blaming management for the problems.   Now don't jump all over me.     I would suggest that the bigger problem here is co-workers that bully/harass those who do not fit the mould that THEY have created when out of sight of leadership. Then when it is reported and followed up on it becomes a he said she said situation.     What one considers bullying/harassment the other considers trying to get the co-worker to pull their weight.   You can not have supervisor/manager micro managing the workplace or then you get everyone pissed that they're treated like robots.   I've seen good workers that no one wanted to work with because they refused to use deodorant. As an employer, all I can do is suggest he change his beliefs about deodorant and personal hygiene. If he doesn't then what? "

Management introduces a 'Dress Code & Hygiene Policy'. Again, once these docs are read, signed and understood by staff, it's the management's responsibility to enforce the policy. If an employee decides not to wear deodorant, the employee can be sent home (without pay) and is written up, eventually being released from the company.  
 
Yes, it is this simple but only if managers care enough to get policies in place and then enforce those policies.