jacqui c,

I haven't had a chance to write it down yet, but I've been thinking it out. I started a new job a couple of weeks ago so I am in that state of trying to learn everything at work and then just crashing when I get home.

It's weird being back at that workplace, though, because I was treated badly there a couple of years ago by a group of women. There have been a lot of new people hired, and even though most of the same women are still there, they are in one section that I don't really have to deal with, and there is a strong culture among most other people in the building of staying away from the bullies who were so bad before. An "us and them" culture, I think. Part of the reason the bullies got away with it before was that the majority of the workforce were temps who could get fired at a moment's notice. Now nearly everyone has had to apply for permanent jobs so the situation is not as tenuous for most people as it was before.

I was watching a situation in the lunch room a couple of days ago, and I have resolved to strike up a conversation with the woman who I think may be being targeted, so that she knows that she is not alone among a pack of wolves. The problem is I don't know which section she works in so I just have to keep looking for her.   In the workplace where I was bullied by the manager there was a newly hired, brilliant and extremely highly qualified woman. I was going to find her and talk to her about the bully because I thought she would be a prime target because the boss would feel threatened by her. I was only working part time, so before I had a chance to talk to her she committed suicide. I suspect he put his hooks into her psychologically and it was too much for her.

As you can see, I have a lot to say about bullying and part of my problem is knowing where to start. Here in Oz it will be a long weekend this weekend, so hopefully I'll start writing it down then.

Helen