How my employer deals with sexual harassment.

[loubert]

Ok, first I work a 7 on 7 off roster, and the harassment took place on the opposite crew. Well, it all started a few months ago, one of the male chefs has been harassing a female worker for a while, she had put in complaints and followed the proper channels, and he was stood down pending a investigation, anyway they have decided in their infinite wisdom to transfer him to our crew......basicly, swap me and him. Now it's in our contract "EBA" that they can move us around if need be.... The only problem is that I work a second job in town (casual) when home, have uni on the side and my other half suffers from fibromyalgia. I've had to completly reorganize my entire life around (change dr.s apps, inform my other employer about the change, and change annual leave around for uni) because this numpty stuffed up. just thought I'd share, it's frustrating. ohhh that's right, some head guy from H.R. was supposed to call me over a week ago to go through this change with me,.... still no call....useless pricks...

[Fearless]

Sounds like what they used to do with kiddie fiddler priests, shuffle them around. Sweep under the carpet and hope no one notices.

You might want to be careful discussing this at or around work as the information is sensitive and could serve to protect the offending worker if the crunch comes.

Have you tried negotiating with your employer over this?

Maybe make a quick call to fair work australia and see if there is any way of working through this.

[Logic]

Well Lou, that pretty much stinks! Sorry to hear about the dramas. It's moments like these I remind myself I actually have a pretty good employer.

[loubert]

Originally Posted by Fearless

You might want to be careful discussing this at or around work as the information is sensitive and could serve to protect the offending worker if the crunch comes.

Have you tried negotiating with your employer over this?

Maybe make a quick call to fair work australia and see if there is any way of working through this.

tried negotiating but they just keep saying, "it's a business decision."

I rang my union, but as they said it is in our eba about being moved around. the thing that gives me the shits is I get a bit of a pineapple over this when I've done nothing wrong.

very very frustrating.

Really annoying when you've always one of the ones who stay back a day or two extra to help out when short staffed and what not. bah humbug.

[loubert]

Originally Posted by The Irreverent Mr Black

Shit, unfortunately, happens.

Worse yet, the easy-to-get-on-with guy often gets the brown end of the stick.

Look at it as proof that the idea of karma is fucked.

Opportunity to look at other openings, perhaps?

Nah, I'll stick it out for a while longer, but that is why I am at uni, to get out of this hospitality business and chase my dream job.

Overall it's the timing that is the worst, middle of the semester, other half almost well enough to get around by herself,(another couple months, if all goes good) but not there yet. just really. bad. timing.

[c2105026]

Depending on your state you may be able to do something with discrimination policy if you are indeed your good lady-wifes carer.

[Fearless]

Originally Posted by loubert

tried negotiating but they just keep saying, "it's a business decision."

I rang my union, but as they said it is in our eba about being moved around. the thing that gives me the shits is I get a bit of a pineapple over this when I've done nothing wrong.

very very frustrating.

Really annoying when you've always one of the ones who stay back a day or two extra to help out when short staffed and what not. bah humbug.

I hear what you're saying. On the odd occasion where I have to try to push a point that management have tended to ignore, (even if it jeopardises safety) instead of discussing things and negotiating they basically turn it around on you trying desperately to find faults to demoralise you, a poorly attempted smoke screen to divert attention away from the point. Saying something along the lines of:

"What I am hearing is that you seem to not be coping with the work"
"Hrmm, I have concerns about you continuing in this area"

When I dismiss and challenge these empty assertions they tend to then remind me that I can be moved around in the business if required. I know they are right, and I know how piss weak my union is (goodness knows why I pay them)

I guess in my case, most of my managers are fabricated and moulded by the company itself. Many being young and inexperienced who would not last five minutes out in the real world. The company has its own 'law' and anything that challenges the law is dismissed, played down or just simply bullied into submission.

I have taken my company to task for bullying (by management) a few years back. They threw everything they had at me but in the end they lost because:

1. I did nothing wrong.
2. I documented everything which they could not dispute.
3. Sometimes when external agencies become involved; even the biggest companies aren't above the law.

These days I just put on a false smile and just do my work, nothing more, nothing less because they don't deserve anything more from me any more.

Like you, I am just biding my time until the timing is right to move on.

Look after yourself.

[Lord Blackadder]

Three words - Fair Work Ombudsman: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

From the website:

Undue influence or undue pressure - what is it?

Undue influence or pressure is a lower threshold than coercion. Under the Fair Work Act 2009 an employer must not exert undue influence or pressure on an employee to modify or alter their conditions of employment, or not to make such an agreement.

[loubert]

Thanks to all, I've rang the fair work ombudsman and because my roster is staying the same, (no decrease or increase in work) it's legal for them to do this. Basicly I have to wear the pineapple because of someone elses mistake... it's been a week and half since I was told H.R. was going to ring me so I could talk to them about how this is fair on myself, still no phone call.
*sigh*
I guess I'm just going to have to stick it out and keep studying to get out of this profession. (I know, there are pricks in every industry, and some of the pricks just happen to be the company themselves running the place. ah well)