Workplace Bullying Audio Message on CBC You Need To Hear
By admin | January 6, 2010
In Canada, there is currently legislation to protect employees from workplace bullying first in Quebec and then in Saskatchewan (2006). Now pending in its third reading is Bill 168 in Ontario under the Workplace Harassment Act. CBC did a fantastic interview recently, highlighting all the information we need to know moving into the future to help us move closer to stopping workplace bullying. This week, enjoy listening to the audio documentary on CBC Radio. Click here to listen! Workplace Bullying, CBC Radio
Topics: Tips | 12 Comments »
January 6th, 2010 at 9:34 am
Is there legislation in Nova Scotia?
January 6th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Dear Valerie,
Thank you so much for sending to me the audio. It did to some degree help me to feel I’m not alone and that legislation is seriously looking into passing Bill 168. My problem is that because I did not have the backbone to stand strong against the bully I had to deal with, I’m am out of work and my financial situation is bleak. Another issue, others that experienced this situation or similar where I was employed are not willing to come forward or do something against the bully because they just want to get on with their lives. Thanks again for the audio, Holly Yates.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Wow !. At last it has been practicalized !. Congrats & ehanks a lot for all who have paved the path against this anti social element, work place bullying, which is an international phenomenon.The door of freedom for the innocent Targets is being opened, no matter where it is. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people(Targets) are waiting for this information through out the world. Thanks a lot, with regards, Dr. Sreenathan Nambiar, Kerala, INDIA.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Wow !. Marvelous !. Congratulations & thanks. The Bullies are there through the world.This is the Fruit of your commitment, stuggle , research & the grace of Almighty God. The work place harrassment Act has been legalized ! What matters if it is in Canada, U.S or U.K ?. All democratic countries would follow it , especially Democratic Republic of INDIA, and it is a honor for us. I take this opportunity to salute the officials on behalf of INDIAN REPUBLIC.DR. Sreenathan Nambiar!.
January 6th, 2010 at 11:04 am
This is an excellent radio talk show on the problem of bulling in the work place. Thank you for bringing this work place problem out in the open.
I am a victim of a bully boss and bully coworker. The bully boss had to resign but not due to my grievance. Someone else filled a police report that she was assaulted by the bully boss.
Here is what I have written about my experience:
Journey with a Bully
It wasn’t reality, not the reality I knew anyway
My coworker of ten years retired now a new coworker
The lying started immediately about small things
Folders went missing, stuffed between the desk and wall
It was so bizarre I wondered if I was losing my mind
I wasn’t told about meetings, phone calls etc
And through it all, the bully never acknowledging it
When I would inquire – did so and so call?
The response was,” I don’t recall”
A month’s worth of work was undone as she just add to it
And complained, “this job is stupid, I hate doing this”
Then the notes started, no conversation
No greeting in the morning, no eye contact
Only the e-mails asking, asking questions
How does this happen, why is it done this way
And once she thought she had gotten all the info
The isolation from new policies she made up began
The boss said, “I give her what she wants
Because I don’t like conflict. You are too nice
She is not what we thought is she?”
And then I could see the boss and coworker
Were a team and displayed the same behavior
My boss started with “You have to work faster”
The coworker “Can’t you work harder and faster?”
I keep wondering, how did I cause this?
My family got tired of my obsessive talking about work
All I talked about was work, how did this happen?
Ten years in a dream job and within months a nightmare
I went to the boss, said please help, I love my job
She said my coworker was so unhappy with her own life
That she never know someone with such a dark umbrella
She agreed, but did nothing to help
My thinking about work became compulsive
Family and friends became tired of my relentless fixation
I became unhinged, how did this happen?
I went to the bosse’s boss, she expressed shock
And said this type of behavior would not be tolerated
But that was it, six weeks later and nothing changed
I went to EAP and did what they said
Seek the info you need to do your job, ask questions
So I did what they said, I asked questions about changes she made
In response to my questions, she called my behavior harassing
I went to the boss and said I think it’s time to get HR and the Union involved
I set up an appointment with HR for the next week
At the end of that meeting, I was told my coworker had filed a grievance against me
The very day I called HR to set up a meeting with them
I was charged with threatening and harassing behavior
Stunned doesn’t even describe what I was
It was shocked and awed, I felt like I was just watching, not there
Then I filed my own grievance for harassing and bulling behavior
In the end, both of our complaints were unfounded
However, inappropriate actions did occur
I was told I was rude and annoying
Asked too many questions and that I eavesdropped
What I got was a mandatory referral to EAP
And a promise of team building which never happen
One year later, nothing has changed but me
January 6th, 2010 at 11:08 am
There is currently no workplace bullying legislation in Nova Scotia. Only Quebec, Saskathewan and soon to be Ontario in June 2010.
January 6th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Now that there is some momentum, lets build this ’snoball of concern’ into a ‘cascade of suooort’ for the legislation!!
Nicholas
January 6th, 2010 at 11:44 am
FYI – Bill 168 was given Royal Assent in Ontario on December 15, 2009 so it is now in effect. Employers must now comply with the new requirements by June 15, 2010.
January 7th, 2010 at 7:38 am
Bill 168 – Workplace Harassment & Violence law came into force on December 15, 2009.
All employers in Ontario are now MANDATED by law to:
• protect employees from workplace violence, harassment & bullying;
• develop & implement policies dealing with violence, harassment & bullying;
• provide training to all employees on the subject of workplace violence, harassment & bullying;
• conduct violence in the workplace assessments
• protect employees from incidents of domestic violence
The requirements of Bill 168 must be complied with by June 15, 2010.
If you would like to read Bill 168:
http://www.ontla.on.ca/bills/bills-files/39_Parliament/Session1/b168.pdf
January 7th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
I can so relate to Jackie’s poem “Journey with a Bully”. I”m a native canadian Indian and I went through exactly what she has written about these bullies in the workplace. I worked along the same lines but with a foreigner who was East Indian and his coworker was a causacian woman. They worked together and made everything and everybody around them crazy. I call it crazy making. One of the signs of bullies. That is part of their way to manipulate and use others for their advantage. It is worldwide and I hope every country will understand what this means for them and that this one person can cause such greivance;for not just in their own personal world but in the worlds of others that must live and co-habitate with them. Shalom! Peace to all.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:33 am
I just listened to the CBC broadcast and realized I’ve been repressing my feelings and finding it hard to concentrate. I’ve “stuffed” my feelings and would like to put them out there in the form of a poem, with gratitude to the author of “The Journey” post.
My Experience As a Target
Cringing at the awareness of her hand
on my hand
preventing me from sending an email.
Feeling my heart stop
when she prevented me from going to an
seminar that would advance my career.
Frustration, boredom, disbelief…
Over wasting 2 hours for “training,”
By an unqualified speaker, uncertified…
(And the “training” was never put to use because that program was dropped.)
Plato would have never appealed to the students in our alternative school.
Degraded, humiliated….
Disrespected, expected…
to do the impossible.
Long meetings
dominated by 3 women
all clamoring for recognition
just people wanting
to hear themselves talk.
Lost time
with the physical therapist
Lost time
to take care of myself
Feelings of being blocked, inertia..
Memories of her shrill voice…
Ridiculed my handicapped car tag…
Saying I didn’t “enough”…
Telling me that I’m “in decline”…
She was a toxic boss,
harsh
like the sound of fingernails on a chalk board…
the sound of her shoes…
(little slip-ons with bows on them)
caused dread in me…
I should get down on…
my knees and thank God I’m out…
I’m out, I’m out, I’m out…
and I am not like her.
But I must deal with the trauma…and heal, and be happy. This is my goal.
May 21st, 2010 at 8:08 am
This goes on in Windsor at a particular settlement agency. The employees are bullied, demeaned, told they are basically worthless and threatened with the loss of their job all the time if they do not do what the Executive Director wants. There has been a high turnover and the actions and occurances were reported to CIC and not ever truly investigated. Many of the women working there are from another country and are usually the breadwinners of the family. So they are scared to speak up. There are many reports of sexual intimidation as well but they are new to the country and or have husbands and would dare not risk losing everything. The person is running a modern day “harem” in Canada and intimidates persons in and out of the workplace. This is workplace bullying to the extreme. Something needs to be done but i am only one person. Others have tried to speak up but they were threatened with Lawyers and received personal threats. Some have left the city for fear of their safety. Someone needs to help bring this monster down and free the people of that organization. These are not false allegations and can be proved if someone is willing to uncover the truth and protect Canada from this type of injustice.