I heard of a man who burned himself alive in France out in front of his workplace. It was on the radio. The workplace was targeting its employees and undoubtedly psychologically torturing them until they either quit or committed suicide. There had been approximately 20 suicides from this one company. There must have been a real vicious bastard in charge of the place is all I could conclude about the company.
How many people live in this city that dread going to work, either because of a workplace bully or a boss who will allow a bully of lower rank (and I do mean smell) to torture others. I wonder when we will be seeing other employees of a well known amalgamated health “care” institution out committing suicide or burning themselves alive right here on our own doorsteps. Or, does every one want to keep their useless heads up their asses and ignore the fact that workplace bullying is RAMPANT in many workplaces, including this “esteemed” place.
The reach of a workplace bully is deep. These putrid, small, blackened souls cause health problems in their chosen victims. They wreak havoc on the victims’ families with worry, tension and stress, cause miserable working conditions and impede the proper function of any workplace, public or private. We all howl loudly about the kids being bullied in the schools, but the bullies of the schoolyard only carry their evil poison on to the workplace, later on down the road. Unless remedied, they continue to enjoy their sadistic pleasures on a mental plane. It is pure lipservice and unadulterated bullshit that certain public institutions have severe penalties for bullies. I myself have been horribly crippled by workplace bullies, with absolutely NOTHING being done about it, even to the point that security had to be accessed. Until there is a huge societal shift and help for victim recovery we’ll get nowhere on this issue. —A Bully Target No More
This article appears in May 5-11, 2011.
This hits home. I know someone going through something very similar. The reprocussions are heartbreaking. 🙁
Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother
You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’
And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha ha ha stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha ha ha stayin’ aliiiiiiiiiiive….
On a serious note though, (PI), are bullies a product of their home environment or are they genetically predisposed to be instigators?
While I appreciate your serious post, OC, the joking one was kinda inappropriate for a bitch of this nature. I expect more from you, lady! (I know you didn’t mean to be tacky but…)
After being bullied in school all through junior high, once I started working, I swore I wouldn’t take bullying crap from anybody and I haven’t. Mind you, I’ve worked with lots of strutting big-feeling arseholes but I always had the words to cut them down to size. If a job is making you feel suicidal, then it’s fucking time to get out or stop being such a wimpy little pussy and speak up to those who intimidate you. The only way to get rid of a fear is to FACE IT.
Amen to that TTFN!
Bullies have to be met head on, they like the path of least resistance. I know it’s easy to say this but it is true. Bullies have issues themselves and they try to bolster their flagging self-esteem by knocking other’s down. Unless their behavior is discouraged with prejudice, the behavior just continues.
It starts in childhood, how or why, I don’t know. Maybe the parent somehow causes it, maybe aggression is genetic, maybe some group dynamic fosters it.
In the workplace, seek out others who might have been victimized by the bully. Maybe by casual conversation asking the other questions about the bully and see what response you get. If you find a few people, have a group meeting with the manager (even if they are the bully). Explain the behavior is beyond acceptable and if nothing is done, it will get taken to a higher level (labour board/ legal).
If this not possible, tell the bully that their tactics have to stop now and that you won’t put up with it. I believe if they are met with a strong assertive response, they will back off because they basically cowards.
Here’s a good guide for dealing with bullies on the workplace:
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocia…
You’re right — TTFN!!! There’s not a job on the planet that’s worth making you feel suicidal over.
I’ve had workplace bullies pick on me before. The first time I took it and it made me miserable but was only an internship. The second time I thought enough was enough and assertively put my supervisor in their place and stood up for myself. And after that they were sweet as pie to me. Often, it just takes one assertive word with them and they leave you alone.
Exactly, PK. Most bullies are cowards and need to be confronted in a calm, exacting manner.
It’s not tacky PK. It’s humour… a slant on the topic and title of the bitch. Just trying to brighten a grey Monday. Not sure what is wrong with that.
I dunno, I just don’t think suicide is something you can ever put a humorous slant on. No, offence, OC. I have the sickest most inopportune sense of humour, but there are just some things i can’t and won’t make light of. I appreciate the sentiment, though.
Anyway, yes, TTFN, it’s the calm manner that does the trick. They’ll just feed on it if you blow up at them. They just do what they do to get under your skin.
You’re right OC, it is humour. It’s just really tacky and unfunny humour.
Anyway, I couldn’t find any articles about this on the internets… has anyone else found anything about this specific incident?
I apologize sincerely if my sometimes misplaced, often offbeat, black sense of humour is offensive. It was not meant to be so, but in rereading I can see where it could be taken as such. Mea culpa.
Breakfast time at the Hornby Nest. Screeeee!
Don’t worry OC, I didn’t think it was tacky or nussin’ and I don’t think most did. Or maybe it’s just because I too joke about absolutely everything, especially on the internet even if it’s a touchy subject. Dun be so serious on da webz.
No apologies necessary, OC. I really did appreciate the sentiment! I wasn’t offended or anything, just sayin’. I was just a bit surprised because I never really have disagreed with something you’ve posted.
Anyway, carry on.
So where can all those unemployed people submit their resumes? Sounds like that company is hiring. ATTENTION all university graduates with an arts degree.
My dad, 18 at the time, was in a Corvette during WWII.
Onboard were a small group of sailors who basically ran the ship.
He joined the crew, and was immediately told the deal, and how as a new guy he would have to do the majority of the work of this ruling group.
Dad says “Ok. Who is charge?” and is pointed towards this Killick.
Dad walks over and says “Are you the boss here?”
As the guy says “Yeah” Dad plows him right in the face putting him down, pivots, and hits the guy that was beside him drooping him as well.
Dad is standing there with both of them on the deck and yells “I don’t work for nobody!”
They tended to leave him alone after that.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/2…
Here ya go.
History Nerd Alert:
That would be one of these that ML’s Dad served in:
http://www.radioman.ca/n/MuseumSackville.j…
and not one of these:
http://www.2011-corvette.net/images/corvet…
Not quite the same pussy magnet, but a whole lot better for ASW.
Bullying is a function of entitlement and privilege. Society rewards bullies. I was bullied on/out of my job by a group of women at a post secondary institution. It blew my mind (almost literally) what they were able to get away with with: total impunity. No accountability, no repercussions, no consequences. I know they actually believe they were perfectly in the right (why not, they were gged on by other bullies) and I am sure if you were to ask them they would describe themselves as the holiest of thows – above moral reproach (they drink tea and wear birkenstocks afterall). I have moved on, but I will never be able to trust people like I once did. It took me months to get over it – I had insomia (and when I did sleep, nightmares), depression, hopelessness, headaches, etc. The price I paid for their need for power was ridiculous and for nothing. They were only greedy for power and they did everything – lie, cheat, slander, defame – to get it. Bullying is a kind of crime and I can totally understand why someone would commit suicide – they killed a part of me. I just wouldn’t let them take all of me. I hate to say it, but the stereotype is that men are by and large thebullies. I have worked for a lot of me and was never bullied. I worked for/with women and have often had to deal with horrible behaviour, the last group obviously the worst. We need to hold people up to accountability at the community level — if organizations and institutions aren’t going to do it, we need to turn these people into social pariahs. For all of you people out there being bullied, expose them, someway, any way. Stay strong and protect yourself.
i would think that it was a wee bit drastic, but whatever gets you noticed by the media. and what did it really accomplish in the end, fuck all? people will still do whatever they choose to, and asshole is a crispy critter now, go fucking figure.
This one hits close to home for me, too. I was bullied and physically abused by a higher-up while working overseas a few years back, and I kept my mouth shut, thinking it was my fault. It took one person at my workplace to tell me that the situation wasn’t right, and that I wasn’t to blame for the torture I endured. With that in mind, I confronted the bastard with my boss and a few other officials, and as sad as it was to have to leave my host country, I was better off for it by far. I feel awful for the Telecom employees and anyone who endures this kind of abuse. There is NO excuse for that shit, EVER.
I once worked at a biz where the branch was 12 people in the office plus outside sales, and soon after I started the HR people came in one day to chat from Toronto. Turns out the branch had 13 new hires in 2 or 3 years, and alarm bells finally started to go off. He didn’t have the balls to fire people so he just heckled them to death.
I’ve never understood how bullies get their power over those who say they have it.
Where does it come from ?
It comes from YOU OB, you & people like you…you give them that power.
I remember being bullied in a couple of different schools, but once you fought back they started avoiding me. Even when 2 ganged up on me in Junior high, I just took turns getting them one at a time while the other guy pounded on me. But I never gave up. The bullies in school, they always got tired of you standing up to them.
At Dartmouth High, 3 guys went after me for money & when I refused they kicked the shit out of me. I knew where one of them lived , I went home got cleaned up, cut the end off my hockey stick, went to his house & all 3 of them were on the front step, they were laughing at me, until I let the stick drop down out of my sleeve & I knocked the biggest one out with it & then waded into the others.
I was charged with 3 counts of assault with a weapon, 3 counts of assault with intent to maim. I had a bunch of other charges, but when I went to court my lawyer got the judge to listened to the testimony of those who had witnessed me being beaten that same afternoon & the charges were dimissed, I got a conditional discharge & for the next 3 years whenever they seen me coming, they’d cross the street to be on the opposite side from me.
OB, if its verbal ,speak out for your rights.
If its physical, dive right in, that way even if you lose they’re going to be hurting too.If all you can do is take out one of them, take out the mouth piece & as the others beat on you, chew his fucking face off.
Sorry, last post should have been “his/her face off”
“The company might be looking for a new Cock Eating Officer, seb. Apply!
Then, you know, go kill yourself.”
– Posted by Donairious MTL on May 9, 2011 at 8:04 PM
Hey bird, you like this shit? You are one sick cunt.