Bullying in the Social Economy in Ireland

national | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis

Wednesday May 17, 2006 17:55

by NC - Private

adarkknight at gmail dot com

The bullying and intimidation of workers in the Social Economy in Ireland has gone unpublisised for far to long.

For years individuals have been bullied and mistreated on Government sponsored schemes in the social economy, some individuals like me were intimidated afterwards.

What I would like to see happen is that a study be conducted into the levels of bullying and an investigation carried out with the view of having these individuals treatment acknowledged and an apology requested from the relevant organisations involved. What has taken place of some of these organisations is close to criminal. I would be surprised that when the volume and level of abuse of these individuals is exposed that there will be public shock.

The individuals working at the lower scale within these organisations were often subject to institutionally wide bullying. I understand that not everyone in this industry was involved in bullying but in many cases as with all bullying, other people knew but did nothing. I challenge these organisations to come forward and I would be very proud of the first organisation that steps forward and apologises. I believe that apologising after this scandal has been exposed will seem mote.
If you have been bullied in the Social Economy please make some noise to highlight the matter and push the issue into a public arena, the place where the organisation involved fear use us taking them.

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Comments (2 of 2)

Mr.

Tue May 23, 2006 14:59

The organisation that abused me works with homeless people. I was abused all the way through my employment and after I left and was submitting sick notes my manager rang me reading from the book of practices and procedures in an attempt to persuade me to return, then when I submitted my resignation I was told I owed him two weeks. After I began talking about my treatment I began receiving phone calls, I was told that my diary was read, I was also told that this is going to come down on you I'll make sure of it. This organisation has offered no formal apology or explanation for my treatment and subsequent intimidation. Most of the individuals involved have moved to other organisations. I am adamant that the abuse which I endured will one day be public knowledge. I have become aware that this is just one persons experience of what has been taking place in many of these organisations. The individuals involved in my subsequent intimidation are nothing but cowards, and the industry they represent is a sham. I encourage any and all individuals that have been bullied in these "caring" organisations to document all incidents and publicise this issue as much as possible. The eventuality for these organisation must be to recognise and apologies. It remains apparent that these organisations will not do this voluntarily and that is up to us the individuals concerned to ensure that this is an eventuality.

Heres how they silence complaints

Tue Aug 15, 2006 15:20

The link I attach is a good indication of how important a resource this type of media is for bringing workplace bullying into a public arena. It lists the tactics employed by organisations to silence abuse, and more specifically victims of organisational abuse.

My focus is on bullying in the social economy, but these tactics are widely employed thought workplaces.

While I understand that the accused have rights to appeal and that this is important, I do not believe that this should take precedence over the victim’s ability to make a complaint in the first place.

Do we really believe that Ireland has become thus fare, that we can take it for granted that we have in place contacts that will support and give guidance should a person making a complaint be intimidated? Or that if there are many individuals involved in suppressing the truth, that we have in place offices that will with conviction seek the truth.

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Bullying in the Social Economy in Ireland

Comments (2 of 2)