Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for 10 years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
Some of the biggest ******* I have ever come across were employed as personnel officers in Local Government. Or should we call them by their fancy titles, Human Resource Managers (99% interested in resources, and if you're lucky, 1% interested in humans) or even more disturbingly, account managers. The ones I had dealings with at work were invariably people who couldn't get a proper job, in either the public or private sector, and wound up in local government 'personnel'. That was certainly my experiences in the little hamlet of Walsall, where I had to deal with some quite shocking examples of bullying and harassment of employees. Usually the Personnel Officers not only failed to protect and assist the employees, but actually conspired to either cover it up or even participated in it themselves with great enthusiasm. I always told my daughter that she could apply for a job in the police force, join the Army, or work in a abattoir and she would always be welcome in our house, but if she ever became a personnel officer, I'd change the bloody locks.
So, I would urge local government trade unionists to get their members to sign this Downing Street petition aimed at changing local government procedures to deal with bullying and harassment.
Theo said:
September 16, 2008 10:52 AM | permalink
Given the way bullying has been used by the current resident of No 10 Downing Street, I am not sure he is the best person to whom representations should be made.
The petition asks for the powers of the local government ombudsman to be extended to deal with employment issues. That's daft.
The ombudsman's roll is to address disputes over how a council has performed its duties as a local government body. In the question of harassment of employees by employers, it's not really relevant whether the employer is a private business, a council, or some governmental quango. If the matter can't be resolved internally, the complainant's union should be prepared to offer support in, for example, a constructive dismissal lawsuit.
First Hand Experience said:
February 14, 2009 10:18 PM | permalink
HR Officers seem to be recruited into Councils on the criteria that they lack any conscience whatsoever. This is why they cannot secure appointments in other sectors. They are a distinguished species. When complaints are made about them, often they do not represent themselves in person, a representative is appointed to answer for them. They are cowards when it comes to answering for their actions. Whilst services are being cut and council tax charges rise, they seem to have a botttomless pit of money to cover up and destroy any person that dare have a valid complaint.
Is this daft? To most human beings then No..It is essential that a truly integral investigating body is appointed to protect both Human Rights which some Council HR Officers dont think exist and also consider the publics ever rising Council Tax bills that are supporting this behaviour.
If the current government is truly committed then it has no choice but to carry out a review of the Local Governement Ombudsmens role in order that it encompass and address the behaviour of these people and the cutlure that they operate in.. All complaints against any HR Officer in Local Authority should be fully, independently, investigated.
September 16, 2008 10:52 AM | permalink
Given the way bullying has been used by the current resident of No 10 Downing Street, I am not sure he is the best person to whom representations should be made.