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Once again workplace bullying hits the headlines.Kirsty Balfour who suffers from Turners Syndrome which causes co-ordination problems also growth and memory problems threw herself in front of a train and lost her right arm and leg. Kirsty had told members of her family she had been repeatedly bullied at work.She had raised being bullied with her employers Morrisons store at Anchor Mills Paisley but felt she was being ignored.

 Of course Morrisons have denied knowing that bullying was taking place.In fact a spokesperson churned out a meaningless statement saying any allegation being made would have been investigated and dealt with promptly.A young woman trying to lead a normal life had been subjected to workplace bullying and the resulting trauma it caused ,lead to Kirsty trying to take her own life.

What a disgrace and the bulliers walk free. As you know Pilton Sucks.com is actively campaigning for an end to workplace bullying and demanding it be made a criminal offence. Kirsty was in such torment she took drastic action which nearly ended her life. Society has to take action against this crime of workplace bullying and put an end to these thugs who destroy other peoples lives.

    

Hark the end of the year approaches and what does this community have to show for all its diligent activism over the year.

Well we have empress Mcginnis continuing to hold on by her well manicured fingernails to her ever growing public funded empire,watch out lizzie the empire might strike back.

Muirhouse’s own fashion queen and leading debutant,that colegate smile and Gucchi shoe wearer our very own Auntie Lesley,what is to become of her. The council could’nt possibly give her the job of new year party town crier,god only knows she tries to flog a dead horse with that one,and don’t bother telling us how many millions it brings to the city,we have heard it all before it was claptrap then,we have news for you Lesley,it still is.

And what of nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick where has he been hiding all this year,it certainly wasn’t at his surgery,that is the last place you would find him. What about nowght’s most memorable social comment this year. Still thinking, thought so,well pehaps we can help. Caught in an unguarded moment  Nowght’s comment on the social housing which the Waterfront and empress Mcginnis has consistently promised us but has yet to deliver,was, See  the state of the Jambos[Hearts] what a bunch of tossers,and by the way how do you spell social.

But prat of the year and you can imagine there was a lot of contenders was-and we will anounce the winner in reverse order

IN THIRD PLACE————–Was for his outright refusal to comment on anything other  than nowght to do with me is -yes you’ve guessed it our old and dearest friend and a regular reader of Pilton Sucks—————-Big Bill Bailie Fitzpatrick—friend of the worker as long as he does’nt have to say it publicly.

IN SECOND PLACE————–For eating all the pies and securing more jobs in this community than most people get in a life time,at present he is acting manager at the Pilton Health Project and a finer specimen you could not want for advertising healthy eating and lots of exercise———————————Yes once again you have seconed guessed us ,it is that roving employee whose moto is IT’S MY JOB Dave Fatboy Hewitt community icon who must be sleeping with someone[the mind boggles] to secure all these positions.

Perhaps we could employ a consutant from an overly expensive organisation to consult with the community to find out who is pushing Fatboy forward. And when they find out that the Pilton Partnership has a hand in this murky affair,then they can just rip it up and make up a story,as per normal.To ensure such a result what about employing consultant and Labour Party hack and desperate for a seat again The chief camp follower and sniffer of blood Uncle Drac  Keith Geddes.

But there has to be a winner,and god only knows we agonised over this,but after a re-look at things there could only be one winner. Yes you have got it again.The one person who continually steps both feet first in dog shit and still manages to come up with that over engineered and mirror rehearsed smile———————–yes you have got it the person who sleeps with a copy of the Peter Sellars movie I’M ALRIGHT JACK under her pillow amongst other luid and lubidious material The Kama sutra queen of North Edinburgh.[well page one anyway] and has her own personalised signed photo of the lamented Queen Thatcher above the fireplace,so it gets the street light at night,the lady with more conflicts of interest than you could have a meeting about,—————-yes the one and thank god only Empress Bunty Backhander Mcginnis,friend of no-one bar herself,and the reaper of what other people have sown.

A well deserved prat of the year award,and as we say there was a number of other contenders,who could forget the community contribution that came from Betty lapdog Stevenson friend [or so she thinks] of Auntie Lesley our gelled Provest. Then there was all the PEP punters [Pilton Elderly Project] who with empress Mcginnis’s permission and blessing tried with some sucess to infiltrate a lot of other community projects,and get on their management committee’s. And of course our very own Labour Party mouth piece the NEN[North Edinburgh News] who have by thinking of their own  have decided not to cover major community news. This message seems to getting through as The empress herself took exception to a letter which accused her and her husband of murky dealings. Remember Liz  THOU DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH. We hope the NEN continues in this vain,could it be that they have seen the light.

Well there you have it the winners and losers for this year. Who was your favourate for prat of the year this year. Did you agree with our findings or do you think we have missed anyone out,a more deserving soul whose misdeeds have come to your attention.Feel free submit your vote and lets have a bit of good old fashioned non politically correct laugh. God only knows we can all do with it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

PILTON SUCKS.COM

POLICY STATEMENT

THIS[ORGANISATION] ENCOURAGES THE PROMOTION OF A WORKING ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL STAFF WORK POSITIVELY AND HARMONIOUSLY TOGETHER. WE BELIEVE THAT THE WORK ENVIORONMENT SHOULD GIVE ALL EMPLOYEES THE FREEDOM TO WORK WITHOUT HAVING TO SUFFER BULLYING OR INTIMIDATION FROM A LINE MANAGER,COLLEAGUE OR GROUP OF COLLEAGUES. BULLYING IS NOT A TRIVIAL MATTER AND CAN MANIFEST ITSELF ON A REGULAR BASIS IN ALL SHAPES AND FORMS.

WHAT IS BULLYING

BULLYING IS THE PERSISTENT DEMEANING AND DOWNGRADING OF STAFF THROUGH WORDS,ACTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS WHICH ERODE SELF CONFIDENCE AND UNDERMINE SELF -ESTEEM.THE EFFECTS OF BULLYING BEHAVIOUR ON THE RECIPIENT CAUSE A RANGE OF NEGATIVE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS.BULLYING IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF STRESS AND CAN LEAD TO PROBLEMS WITH HEALTH AND IN A BROADER CONTEXT CAN UNDERMINE THE FABRIC OF A GOOD HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL TO ENSURE THAT WORKPLACE BULLYING OR INTIMIDATION DOES NOT OCCUR AT ANY LEVEL WITHIN THE ORGANISATION. ALL EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE AWARE THAT BULLYING,WHICH AFFECTS THE DIGNITY OF PEOPLE AT WORK,IS UNACCEPTABLE AND WILL BE GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

EXAMPLES OF BULLYING[JUST SOME OF THE MANY]

1]AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR BY A LINE MANAGER OR COLLEAGUE

2]REPEATED VERBAL HARASSMENT

3]PERSONAL INSULTS AND NAME-CALLING

4]PERSISTENT CRITICISM

5]PERSISTENT PICKING ON A PERSON FOR THE BUTT OF JOKES,HORSEPLAY,UNCOMPLIMENTRY REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOUR LIKELY TO CAUSE OFFENCE

6]THE MALIGNING OR RIDICULING OF A PERSON DIRECTLY OR TO OTHERS

7]UNFAIR DELEGATION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

8]REFUSAL TO COMMUNICATE IN NORMAL COLLEGIATE WAY.

EFFECTS OF WORKPLACE BULLYING.

ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CAN MANIFEST THE EFFECTS OF BULLYING ON THE PERSON.

1]EMOTIONAL EFFECTS[SEVERE ANXIETY]

2]COGNITIVE[CONCENTRATION]EFFECTS[MAKING MISTAKES,HAVING ACCIDENTS]

3]BEHAVIOURAL EFFECTS[SMOKING,EXCESS DRINKING,OVERREACTING]

4]PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS[CONTRIBUTING TO RAISED BLOOD PRESSURE,HEART DISEASE]

5]REDUCED RESISTANCE TO INFECTION,STOMACH AND BOWEL PROBLEMS AND SKIN PROBLEMS

The most serious effects remain fear,anxiety and depression which can[and have] led to suicide.To these may be added severe loss of confidence and low self -esteem.Workplace bullying like stress generally has a detrimental effect on the organisation as a whole because people working in a climate of fear and resentment do not give of their best.The effects on the organisation as a whole can include.

1]INCREASED ABSENTEEISM

2]LOW MOTIVATION

3]REDUCED EFFICIENCY

4]HASTY DECISION-MAKING

5]POOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS.

We believe that this policy statement could and should be adopted by organisations across the board. This statement defines and outlines in detail the effects that a workplace bully can have on the organisation as a whole.

As a test ground we could use the Muirhouse Social Work Centre where as we all know workplace bullying  has not been addressed,quite the opposite  in fact it would appear to have been actively covered up.

Workplace bullies act up because that is all they know.Most workplace bullies are looking for power because they are insecure and fear being found out. Bullying behaviour comes in several personality types. Some bullies yell and scream and you never know what kind of mood they are in. One minute they are nice and the next they yell and scream creating a toxic workplace.

Others are constantly criticizing everyone and everything in order to deflect their own incompetency. Another type is one who lies and deceits his or her way up the workplace ladder.These types are very dangerous because they can never be trusted as they will always make it look like they are not at fault.Finally there is the one who controls access to the means to do your job.They can put roadblocks up that impede progress.

If an employee feels unsafe in the workplace,they tend to do poorer when they are dealing with clients or customers. Their productivity goes down and their absenteeism increases because they just don’t want to face the bully at work. When the service to the client and customer drops the bottom line is affected.

The key is  to empower and support the employee[victim] whenever the employee points out concerns regarding a line managers behaviour. Here are some simple keys to empowering the employees when it comes to workplace bullying.

1]Do not dismiss an employee’s comment as trivial.

2]Do not make excuses for the line manager.

3]Hold your line manager to a high code of conduct

4]Allow the employee to go over the line managers head as a last resort in order to bring inappropriate behaviour to light

5]Employees must feel safe when confronting their line managers behaviour

6]Make sure that the line manager clearly understands that any retaliation towards an employee who brings forth bullying behaviour will result in immediate and harsh concequences.

7] Start from the premise that all bullys are cowards and liars and examine the evidence,if it reads and sounds like bullying it probably is.

8]Make sure the victim is fully supported in all matters including where appropriate a gradual return to work. This is sensible as many victims have been absent from work and have suffered greatly.

9]The law now looks favourably on victims judging by the recent compensation pay-outs and it may well be that the organisation concerned faces bad publicity which can be very damaging,as well as paying out compensation. 

THE DRIVE FOR DIGNITY AND RESPECT AT THE WORKPLACE IS HIGH ON THE AGENDA IN THE UK.WE HAVE GIVEN RISE TO A SOCIETY WHERE CRIME,ROAD RAGE AND VIOLENCE ARE COMMONPLACE.

NOW OUR WORKPLACES HAVE BECOME VIOLENT AND HOSTILE TOO. SOCIETY’S SUPPORT SYSTEMS ARE ERODED AND VICTIMS SUFFER. THIS IS REASON FOR ALARM. INTERVENTIONS MUST BE DIRECTED AT ELIMINATING HOSTILE BEHAVIOUR,AND RID THE WORKPLACE OF IT’S BULLIES WHO ARE IN REALITY DESPERATE COWARDS WHO ABUSE THEIR POSITION TO MAKE THEIR CHOSEN VICTIM SUFFER. AND WHEN THEY ARE THROUGH WITH DESTROYING THEIR CHOSEN TARGET THEY WILL MOVE ON TO SOMEONE ELSE,SUCH IS THE WAY OF THE SOCIOPATHIC SERIAL BULLY. 

The good news is that not all workplace bullies are sociopath.Normal over-ambitious and opportunistic people bully to. The sociopath bully is the worst but the other perpatrator’s behaviour can be just as predatory as the 2-4% sociopaths of society. In 92% of cases the line managers are the perpetrators,simply because they have the power. One only need to read a book like Wakesman’s STAB YOUR WAY TO THE TOP to understand why line managers are the biggest perpetrators.

It is HOW TO BULLY -AND- ABUSE SUBORDINATES book for corporate climbers.This cold-blooded book’s reminds me of the sociopaths most outstandind characteristic,they don’t care what distress their action causes,as long as they reach their goals.

Some bullies would be driven by a lust for power the reason for other’s behaviour could be want of approval through competition,ambition,greed,incompetence,feelings of entitlement,inferiority,fear,anger,sheer opportunism,etc.Sociopath workplace bullies are fascinating and charming,and notorious for their mimicry and callous behaviour.

Whether some line managers just follow Wakeman’s advice or are indeed sociopaths on a troll,is not the issue.It must be realised that this behaviour is very harmful and unproductive and must be stopped,if necessary through legislation. 

Work Trauma[bullying] has a devastating effect on the victim’s productivity,emotional and physical health.The victims waste,according to research between 10 and 52% of their time at work defending themselves and networking for support,thinking about the situation, being demotivated and stressed,let alone absences due to stress-related illnesses.

More often than not,victims blame themselves and doubt their own self worth. They feel shame and guilt and replay incidents over and over in their minds,wondering if they could have done something differently.They are anxious and troubled.In the severe cases,victims suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder[PTSD]

As one victim so eloquently described it on e-mail:There is a huge difference in the pre-bullied me and the post-bullied me. At present I jump at the sight of my own shadow,am terrified of meeting people,am unable to make eye-contact with people ,get extremely agitated if people raise their voices etc. At first glance someone might easily think ,no wonder he was bullied he has got no self confidence or anything! Yes these things are not the real me. It is just the way my trauma manifests itself.

Professionals and the public are often misled bt the vulnerability of the post-bullied person.Generally the trauma of the experience leaves the victim feeling powerless,disorientated,confused,helpless and paralysed. It tends to be sudden and overwhelming-as if it owns the person. In the above case the victim suffers from PTSD and the prognosis is that it may take him years to recover.

There is nothing “wrong with victims” In fact most people believe that if they do things right,work hard etc they will not become victims and they distance themselves emotionally from victims.This is just a way of coping with our fear of being at the mercy of another person-THE BULLY- But the closer we get to victims the closer we get to dealing with our own fears. Targets or victims are by no means wimps who deserve to be treated less than dignified.Victims are often selected for unfair treatment because of their abilities and competence and for the perceived threat they pose to the perpetrators career ambitions

It is slowly but surely reaching the hearts and minds of the public that workplace bullying and the trauma it causes is a gross violation of human rights. Victims need understanding and care during and after such a shattering experience.  

Workplace Bullying Information Line[SCOTLAND]

1] know someone being bullied at work?

2] Want to find out more about spotting the signs and symptoms of bullying?

3]Wondering about high staff turnover rates?

4]concerned about stress-related absence at work?

5] Or is workplace bullying happening to you.

The information line[0131 339 9232] Is run on an independant and voluntary basis,working closely with the Andrea Adams Trust and providing information on resources,guidliones,support groups and training cources. It is open 7-9pm Tuesday and 10-12noon Saturday. Ask for Sandra Brown. 

1]SHOUTING AND SWEARING

2]INSTANTANEOUS RAGES OVER TRIVIAL MATTERS

3]PUNISHMENTS DISPENSED OUT OF THE BLUE

4]IGNORING OTHER PEOPLE’S POINTS OF VIEW

5]PERSONAL INSULTS AND NAME-CALLING

6]PERSISTENT CRITICISM

7]PERSISTENTLY SETTING UNREALISTIC DEADLINES

8]SPREADING MALICIOUS RUMOURS

9]CONSTANTLY MOVING GOALPOSTS AND WITHHOLDING INFORMATION

10]OSTRACISING,IGNORING,EXCLUDING AND FREEZING PEOPLE OUT

11]MAKING THREATS

12]REMOVING RESPONSIBILTY

13]ALLOCATING MENIAL TASKS.

If any of the above sounds familiar,you may be witnessing inapproapriate workplace behaviour.

Does this behaviour go on in your workplace? If it does and you are a responsible person DO SOMETHING

Call the National Bullying Helpline : 0845 22 55 787.   

Come out come out wherever you are,that seems to be the question being asked about head honcho Frank Phelan -him of Children and Families,to be more exact secure unit facilities.

The Scotsman ran an article some weeks ago about an incident concerning a City secure unit. We understand from information received that Mr. Phelan knows more than he might be prepared to say. Mabay the Scotsman would do well to investigate further,they may well find unsavoury goings on. Our informant is prepared to come forward,if for the time being he can be protected.

Over to you.