Of course fields in which there is a large amount of bullying, exploitation and victimisation like teaching have high rates of unionisation. My own experience of being bullied confirms that it is best to stand up to bullies. I was purportedly dismissed from my position of leadership within a school because the school administration needed a scapegoat. I was fortunate to be in a strong union school with a wonderful group of mutually supportive teachers. I had the almost unanimous support of the other teachers, who could see exactly what was going on, and I took the acting principal (not a psychopath, but certainly a maker of bad decisions) to the Merit Protection Board, which ordered my re-instatement.

Had I been subject to WorknotcalledChoicesanymore, I could have been sacked on the spot. Interestingly, while I had an AEU representative at the hearing, so did the acting principal, and his AEU representative argued that I should have been dismissed outright, which gives a fascinating perspective on the extent to which one section of the AEU supports bullying of its own members by principals, and bullying by principals is not rare these days, which simply reflects the decline in the quality of people promoted.

I have always been a careful record-keeper, but my experience of this fit-up made me even more meticulous in noting everything I was told to do with my job, in case there was a second attempt to victimise me. When my leading teacher tenure ended, the then principal refused to roll over my position, so after 28 years in leadership positions (acting vice principal, timetabler, daily organiser, subject co-ordinator, sub-school co-ordinator, etc), I finished my time in the profession as a demoted classroom teacher, which cost me tens of thousands of dollars in pay and lost superannuation. I resigned altogether as soon as it became financially possible.

If ever anyone had dared to say to me, “You’re not a team player”, I would have replied, “Yes, I am, but I’m not on your team.”

Cornflower: To make a quiet retreat is not an option as I feel compelled to stand up for myself. In many ways, fighting against bullies (made up of management) is very stressful and a real drain on your energy and well-being (as you lose occupational confidence). If you are proud of your 20 years tenure in the Public Service, then you have to endure the fight until such time a permanent solution is brokered. Management even blocked a lateral transfer to another Branch. The "Spiral of Silence" came into effect as the other Branch Head did not want to step on my bullying Branch Head's toes.

Jolanda: Thanks for your support. The school must be in the neighbourhood you live in for you to tolerate the bullying of not just one child, but other younger ones as well. Move them to a different school that prides itself in pastoral care. That's what another mum did. All her complaints amounted to nought! Or fight the good fight which can negatively impact on you and your children's your physical and educational well-being.

Thanks cornflower, that's a succinct and pretty accurate summary. They certainly do divide, scapegoat and conquer. I'm not so sure that the Executive of an organisation always knows what happens in middle management or in the office or shop floor.

It's too dangerous legally for senior management to turn a blind eye these days (but as some have commented, those that act often put themselves in the firing line) and there's always the media looking for a juicy story, especially if there are pics.

The true workplace psycho seems to operate in a 'bubble'. He or she either does it by stealth or else, as per my comment re Spiral of Silence, the other staff collude in silence (which has its own ethical implications) or else choose to ignore it (same thing).

Re the AEU - I too have some doubts about whether unions are in any position to be able too assist individual cases of work place bullying. Do they lack the resources or the will?

I'll need to check my sources here but it was either a QUT or Queensland Uni report (a couple of years ago) which put the cost of workplace bullying at between $15b-$30b. That's an incredible drain on productivity and healthcare.

I think there's something heroic about taking on a true workcase psycho - but one needs to armed up - with lawyers I fear.

the major difficulty for those confronting these sorts of workplace bullies lies in not coming from a dysfunctional background, unlike the bullying workplace psychopath or sociopath. people who have not grown up in a dysfunctional family or surrounds generally believe that logic and reason will solve problems or at least are the way to address them - including problems arising from the manipulative, abusive, sociopathic and/or psychopathic conduct of the workplace bully. however, logic and reason do not work. the bullies of sociopathic or psychopathic disposition operate dysfunctionally. to deal with them, people who have grown up in dysfunctional families, but who have 'come through' and made or remade themselves into functional human beings, need to be consulted and brought in to planning. they can anticipate the conduct of the bullies, how their 'minds' work, and hence are forewarned and forearmed - and can map out useful, workable plans for ejecting these people from the workplace. sadly, they of course go on, then, taking their dysfunctional psychopathic or sociopathic selves into other workplaces - many, many people - including those who head government departments and sit in ministerial chairs - are scared to death of them. hence, their support for their going elsewhere. after all, if they (the psychopaths/sociopaths) are elsewhere, they can disrupt the lives of others rather than being a problem for the government department heads or government ministers ...

Jocelynne, Please use capital to start your sentences. I found your comment very difficult to decipher.
Foyle

I have some difficulty with the term workplace psychopath. This suggests a pathology as opposed to sociology.
The highlighting by the author Malcolm King that over 55s were targeted may suggest that this was age discrimination. I would argue that over 55s would be targeted because they are mature and do not take this sort of crap easily. I can say this from experience being over 55 and a victim of mobbing. I dont think my age had that much to do with it but rather being female, over 55 and much life experience. As if I would take the kind of intimidation, humiliation and attempt to get rid of me without a fight.

I was very threatening to the manager in question and let her know I would fight her. And because I am mature, have that kind of stamina and resolve. If I had been younger I could not have gone the distance.

It is here where I would like to say that the term psychopath and bully does not sufficiently explain what is happening in many workplaces. The concept of mobbing provides a more comprehensive understanding and shows how it is a way around bullying. The experience I had is where a senior manager was able to mobilise other managers and ultimately a whole office to achieve her ends. It is quite incredible how persons in such power can remain relatively invisible while they get the less senior managers to do the bullying for them. There is a potential for this in any office where their is no clear leadership or accountability.

There was no-one who had neither the decency, political will or moral courage to do anything about it.

So you can imagine the perceived threat when someone comes into the workplace who is mature age and can identify all those problems within a systems framework. If my post can get others thinking about bullying in the context of mobbing then we can start to develop some policy/legislation accordingly. The term psychopath suggests a punitive, individual or medical approach. I am looking for a sociological approach/intervention.