Quote for the month
"When you're suffering Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it takes twice as long to achieve half the work, with frequent interruptions to suppress the urge to murder folk" (Tim Field)

Workplace bullying | School bullying
Stress, health and PTSD | Media requests
Conferences and meetings etc | Surveys | Web sites of interest
Books | Tim Field on TV | Training
Dealing with computer viruses and spam
Stockists of Bully in Sight and PTSD | What readers say about Bully in sight

Workplace Bullying

Long v. Field
I'm delighted to report that a mutually-acceptable accord has been negotiated and I have willingly published an agreed apology at Bully Online. I now regard the matter as closed. Thanks to everyone who has offered their support and prayers and who has lit candles for me during this time.

Former Flintshire council auditor claims £750,000
Andy Sutton alleges psychological injury after asking questions about financial irregularities: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/3867191.stm

Bullying hotline to ease workplace hostility at airports
http://www.personneltoday.com/pt_news/news_daily_det.asp?liArticleID=24482 and http://www.naeurope.co.uk/en/story.htx?nr=300002625

It is possible to legislate against bullying?
Trade union Amicus calls for a new law on 'psychological harassment at work' similar to that in Quebec: http://bullyinginstitute.org/advocacy/quebeclaw.html

Honda sued for stress at work
Former Swindon Honda Europe HQ finance controller Liz Hopkins sues Japanese motor giant for anxiety and depression resulting from stress at work. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/3837281.stm

Environment Agency sued for stress
Taxpayer is always the loser: http://www.shropshirestar.com/features/letters/publish/article_20274.shtml and judgement at http://www.employmentappeals.gov.uk/judge_fr.htm

Bad management and ill health go together
http://pcs.live.poptech.coop/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=891820 with the public sector topping the sickness absence league tables: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3866213.stm

Ambulance workers face the most bullying and violence
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3936817.stm

Business leaders urged to give views on stress
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2004/c04030.htm

Half of psychiatric trainees are bullied
Foreign doctors less likely to take action than local doctors: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/press/preleases/pr/pr_547.htm

Guernsey lacks legislation to tackle bullying at work
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/3932775.stm

Whistleblower labelled "possibly mentally ill and paranoid"
Judge critical of General Medical Council: http://www.generalmedicalcouncil.co.uk/

UK government announces scheme to stop carers who abuse
With Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) abusers will be put on a register: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3920977.stm

Australian radio announcer found guilty of bullying
The "explosive, repetitive and serious nature of his behaviour" earns Ballarat radio presenter Reginald David Mowat a $10,000 fine: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200407/s1160031.htm and http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10425788%5E1702,00.html

Bullying crosses the line into workplace
USA NIOSH survey presented to APA suggests many bosses are unaware of verbal abuse in office: http://www.psycport.com/stories/usatoday_2004_07_28_eng-usatoday_life_eng-usatoday_life_051733_3014830435088741556.xml.html and http://www.indystar.com/articles/6/166350-3766-031.html

Spree killing follows teasing at work
Elijah Brown kills five people at a Kansas meatpacking plant before committing suicide: http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040703_2.html

Calling the Bully’s Bluff
The US Institute for Justice and Mackinac Center team up to take on Michigan Education Association: http://www.ij.org/publications/liberty/2004/index3.html

US teacher union held accountable
Institute for Justice and Mackinac Center join forces to beat teachers' union Michigan Education Association: http://www.ij.org/publications/liberty/2004/index3.html and http://www.ij.org/publications/liberty/2002/11_4_02_h.asp

War games
Here's a novel solution to bullying: Instead of investigating the bully, just send everyone, at taxpayers' expense, on a team-building exercise which involves shooting each other: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=104152&command=displayContent&sourceNode=102611&contentPK=10479397

Wal-Mart under the spotlight
US grocery chain Wal-Mart's famed financial performance looks less than rosy when you factor in staff turnover (up to 70% per annum) and rehire costs, plus 1.6 employees claiming discrimination: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040707/news_lz1e7ghorpade.html and http://www.katu.com/news/ap_story_national.asp?URL=http://localhost/apwirefeed/d847e3eg0.xml&NewsSection=BreakingNewsHeadlines

State Worker Spies on Boss, Loses His Job
A cautionary tale from Alabama: http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=2081845

The bad boss: If you haven't had one, you probably will
Incompetent, uncommunicative or mean, they make work a chore - a story from the Boston Globe: http://bostonworks.boston.com/globe/articles/071804_bosses.html

Bullies take toll on morale, productivity
http://www.mlive.com/business/aanews/index.ssf?/base/business-2/1091355484189340.xml

Canada sacks three scientists
Whistleblowers fighting terminations that a lobby group calls an 'ominous signal':
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20040716/03

Canadian support group goes from strength to strength
http://www.nobullyforme.org/

Tilting at Windbags: A Crusade Against Rank
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/10/arts/10RANK.html

Battling the workplace bully
Few rules address this problem but there are ways to fight back - an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/business/1090748035123833.xml?bxbiz (requires registration - free)

Forget empowerment and motivation
Cunning, cruelty, treachery and jealousy are the tools for success - in the short term, at least: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml;sessionid=FKO0DJJF3FDX5QFIQMGCNAGAVCBQUJVC?xml=/arts/2004/07/13/borat13.xml&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=144840

House of Lords rules that damages for injury to feelings is not recoverable at tribunal
Latest verdict in Dunnachie v. Kingston-upon-Hull City Council: http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld200304/ldjudgmt/jd040715/dunn-1.htm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3896447.stm

Law needs to recognise cost of bullying
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=1580

Inspection culture creaks at the seams
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=1592

The rose-tinted view of self-inspection
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3940793.stm

One person's joy is another person's irony
How happy are you at work? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3935009.stm

School bullying

Boy's suicide over bullying fears
James Rogers, from Wrexham, Wales, kills himself after prolonged bullying: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/3900417.stm

Was drowning an act of bullying?
Father voices concerns over swimming pool death of Nathan Matthews: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/3890075.stm

Anchorage School District pays $1million of $4.5 million bullying settlement
Boy left brain damaged amid claims that "The school district did nothing": http://www.ktva.com/Stories/0,1413,163~29969~2245001,00.html

Scandal jolts top Long Island district
Board found $8 million in suspicious spending: http://edition.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/06/16/school.scandal.ap/ and http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vprec083884009jul08,0,3907970.story
Anyone notice a similarity with this case? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3068271.stm

California education chief calls preschooler 'stupid dirty girl'
State Education Secretary Richard Riordan apologizes for remark, describing it as "teasing": http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/08/girls.name.ap/index.html

UK government proposes national network to fight bullies
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3894073.stm with readers' feedback at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3894073.stm

The best days of your life
Bullying victim describes "desperately unhappy" school days: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3896491.stm

School bullying ends in tragedy
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/3929015.stm

Stress, health and PTSD

Sickie Police are the employers' latest weapon against skivers
Let's hope they're trained to recognise the (non-visible) symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3868401.stm

Here's the perfect job for the Sickie Police
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/07/30/ngp30.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/07/30/ixhome.html

Employers may face surge in stress claims
http://www.workplacelaw.net/display.php?resource_id=4729&a_id=1317

Pills are not the best solution to depression
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/181515_firstperson12.html

'No proof of' Gulf war syndrome
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3887275.stm

Media requests

Army Solider - be the bullied: Quickfire Media an independent television is developing a documentary for Channel 4 looking at bullying and non-combat deaths in British Army Barracks. We’re interested in talking to anybody who has been bullied or has witnessed bullying. Please call Naomi Bradford on 0117 946 6838 or email naomi.bradford@quickfiremedia.com

Let down by your solicitor? Have you been wronged by your solicitor? Did you seek help from the Law Society? Did the Law Society let you down? If you can answer yes to all three questions and you wish to share your stories with the public, please email Liz Rosilio at BBC Television: liz.rosilio@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number and a brief outline of your experience.

Sexual discrimination or sexual harassment: My name is Alison Palmer and I am a freelance journalist who is writing an article for the Daily Mirror on women who have suffered sexual discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace. I would like to speak to women in the UK who have suffered harassment of a sexual nature or perhaps found out they were being paid much less than a male colleague who did the same or a lesser job to find out how it's affected their life and their career. Please get in touch asap as there is a very short deadline. alisonpalmer@oakhouse24.freeserve.co.uk or 01353 720572. The woman must agree to be identified and there is a £200 thank you payment

Beat The Bullies: in the autumn (6-12 September 2004) BBC Radio 1 will be carrying out a bullying awareness campaign called Beat The Bullies. We feel it is important to highlight the issue as it relates directly to our target audience. Radio 1’s aim is to assist with tackling the problem with help from trained BBC counsellors and the Department for Education and Employment. We will be talking to people all over Britain, as well as high profile celebrities. To find out more about the nature of our social action campaigns, log on to www.bbc.co.uk/radio1 and click on One Life. We are looking for individuals in the UK who have been victims of bullying in the workplace, to interview briefly about their experiences. Contact Sam Olagbaju, Broadcast Assistant, nispad@hotmail.com. Tel 020 7765 2981 or Antonia Jolly, Campaigns Producer, antonia.jolly@bbc.co.uk, Tel 020 7765 5898.

Channel Four is looking for notorious troublemakers: Do you have a neighbour who goes out of their way to cause you serious bother and annoyance? Do you know of a real workplace bully? Or do you have a friend or family member who is experiencing problems with bullies? We are looking for three troublemakers, who don't necessarily break the law much, but go out of their way to wind people up. They can come from any social background, but they have to be badly behaved! Please contact Claire Braden in confidence, all nominators will remain anonymous if they want to. My phone number is 01273 604792, email claire.braden@ricochetsouth.co.uk

Bullying and suicide in the army: I'm Richard McIlroy and I'm putting together a BBC Radio 4 programme on bullying in the army. I'm very keen to speak to people bullied in the army specifically at Catterick Barracks. I'm also interested to speak to anyone who can tell me about the suicides of soldiers at Catterick and in the army in general. Please contact me at 07876 521000 or email richard.mcilroy@bbc.co.uk

Bullying and suicide in young people: Maverick Television, the makers of Channel 4's Born Too Soon, are looking to speak to families who have been affected by bullying. We are researching for a campaigning film about the devastating links between bullying and suicide in young people. We would like to speak to people with personal experience and strong views on what issues should be tackled in a programme of this sort. All calls/emails will be treated in confidence. Please call Jenni or Andy on 0121 224 8398 or email j.ayrton@mavericktv.co.uk or a.tootell@mavericktv.co.uk

Britain's Worst: Do you know a bullying neighbour, bullying teens or a bullying mother-in-law? Hi my name is Sarah Thornton and I am an associate producer on a new series of shows that seeks to improve bullies by putting them through a series of challenges designed by experts. We are currently looking for people who are being bullied to nominate:
BRITAIN'S WORST TEENAGER
BRITAIN'S WORST NEIGHBOUR
BRITAIN'S WORST MOTHER IN LAW
We have experts on board who will attempt to improve your situation by offering their expertise and challenging the offenders to improve. As well as receiving genuine help, participants have the opportunity to win prizes along the way. Please contact us by phone 0207 258 6766 or email britainsworst@mentorn.tv.

Bullying by neighbours: I'm Michelle Woods and I'm currently working on a new show for RDF Media (The makers of Faking It and Wife Swap) called Meet the Neighbours for Channel 4. Our programme aims to take five diverse households from around the UK to a purpose built community this summer and over the course of four weeks and with the help of two experts create an idyllic community! We are looking for your troublesome neighbours - perhaps those who are noise pests, or interfering types or those who are bullies and could do with realising the error of their ways. If you know someone who fits the bill or want to know more about the show then call me on 020 7013 4521 or email neighbours@rdfmedia.com

More media requests at media/media.htm

Conferences, meetings etc

Thursday 14th and Friday 15th October 2004: Workplace Mobbing Conference, Novotel, Creek Street, Brisbane, Australia. Speakers include Dr Kenneth Westhues, Dr Charmaine Hockley, Lt Colonel Lance Collins, Dr Jocelynne Scutt, Dr Brian Martin, Dr Betty McClellan: http://www.workplacemobbing.com/

Surveys etc

See workbully/surveys.htm

Web sites of interest

A list of articles on workplace bullying
http://www.mytoxicboss.com/news.html

PTSD
http://www.leymann.se

Humiliation etc
http://www.humiliationstudies.org/

Books

Legal Abuse Syndrome, Karin Huffer, http://www.legalabusesyndrome.org/products.html

Training

Dealing with computer viruses and spam

Are you bombarded with computer viruses and spam?
There's guidance for new (and old) users of the Internet regarding viruses, spam and scam: action/newuser.htm

Stockists of books published by Success Unlimited

What readers say about Bully in sight

"Every page I open at random is a feast!"

More reader feedback at successunlimited/books/tstmbis.htm