bullying on the job?

admin

a pretty shocking story in several of the major newspapers about a a 19 yr old waitress who committed suicide after relentless taunting and harassment by several of her colleagues at a cafe in Glenferrie Road in Hawthorn!

Am hoping this [degree of bullying] isn't a common occurence?

askthecoffeeguy

there's no place for bullying in the workforce including hospitality - but I works both ways - I had a barista who shall remain nameless at a previous work place who used to put the shoulder in as he was going past me - his boss! needless to say his days were numbered from the start...

admin

this was an appalling incident [or series of incidents]. At least the perpetrators haven't entirely got away with their actions see below from Business Smart website [News.com.au]: FOUR men have been fined a total of $335,000 over the relentless bullying of a young waitress who killed herself. Brodie Panlock, 19, was subjected to the humiliating bullying by her workmates at Cafe Vamp, in Melbourne, before she threw herself from a multi-storey car park in September 2006. She had been spat on, called ugly and, on one occasion, had fish oil poured all over her hair and clothes. One tormentor even told her to take rat poison. Nicholas Smallwood, 26, Rhys MacAlpine, 28, and Gabriel Toomey, 23, all pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court to failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of persons. Cafe Vamp's owner, Marc Luis Da Cruz, and his company, MAP Foundation, pleaded guilty to two charges, including failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment. Magistrate Peter Lauritsen described their actions as "the most serious case of bullying", adding that he would have doubled the penalties if they had not pled guilty. Smallwood was fined $45,000, MacAlpine $30,000 and Toomey $10,000. Da Cruz, 43, was fined $30,000 and his company $220,000.

Koffee_Kosmo

I have followed this story with much sadness On a TV interview she had not spoken about it [the bullying] to her mother ! if I heard it right Condolences to her family KK

[deleted]

I hope this a wake up call to all the aggressive chef, baristi and owners that unfortunately swim in the pool of "HOSPITALITY". I'm so sick of being around the unneccessarily, verbally violent bullies that infect my workplace (meaning the industry at large). Is our industry so unregulated that this kind of rediculesness can be the norm (which we all know that it is). What steps are going to be taken to make the hospitality industry a more hospitible environment. Being at the top of the pecking order, I never get any bullying, but I see it all around me, and it truely disgusts me. If you see or experience bad behaviour of any kind, Screw it risk your job and tell the bully to F#"k off, and complain to the owner, if its the owner, tell someone that can make a difference...the police maybe. And to any bullies reading this....Just because you hate yourself and you can't see through your own crap. Doesn't mean you can lash out at your workMATES!!!

[deleted]

And I feel ashamed that this poor girl had no other choice but death. You bastards, I pray you never have a sensitive child. For them!!!

lars

I've never heard of anything like this in Europe, or in Scandinavia where I lived most of my life before moving here - is this a feature of Australian life, or is this just a Victorian thing? Lars

blanyon

I would say this is an extreme case but in some (I hope a small number) workplaces bullies exist and run unchecked. This is not isolated to hospitality and would exist in almost all sectors of the Australian workplace. There is a large amount of discussion about bullying in schools currently, this should probably be extended to Australian society in general, but hopefully if you weed them out at the start it should slowly get out to the whole of society. There is no excuse for bullying or allowing it in your workplace, the only way to deal with it is to speak up (thank you flushed for putting it so clearly) and or leave the workplace.

DoubleRistretto

Fair comment Lars - you mean is Melbourne the bullying capital of Australia, as opposed to the racism capital? dR :-/

askthecoffeeguy

there's nothing worse than a racist bully!

scoundrel

That's odd. I've worked about 15 places in the last 3 years and never saw or experienced any bullying. That being said, I pick my places carefully and avoid arrogant douchebags (stepping stone to all the next slew of behaviour problems) like the plague - I did pick up on those nasty vibes once or twice in interviews. They were mostly from the owners. (sydney)