There Is Hope After The Bully Is Gone And Other Resolutions For The New Year

Midnight is just a few hours away.  It will signal the start of a brand spanking new decade.  Yeah!  That time can’t tick by quickly enough because this particular celebration is really precious to me.  The list of things I am grateful to leave behind include financial losses, family illnesses, broken arms, surgery and being evacuated from my home barely two blocks North of the World Trade Center as I stood by helplessly watching as thousands died.   It took years to recover but I did.  And, shortly after I finally breathed a guilty survivor’s sigh of relief, I suddenly found myself working for a vicious and abusive boss who brought me to my knees.  Once again I’ve moved on and rebuilt my life and – although I bristle when other people say this – I have indeed made lemonade out of lemons by making this site that includes the videos already posted, those in progress,  and meeting all of you.

I remember reading a research study about workplace bullying and PTSD that found that the further one gets from the actual experience the easier it is to heal.  I had to leave Manhattan to recover from 9/11 and later I had to leave the institution I worked at to recover from the bullying experience.  One workplace bullying expert that I’ve come to respect, Catherine Mattice (noworkplacebullies.com),  just posted an interesting article about the Army’s research into the importance of optimism and the severity of PTSD.

“Resilient individuals are optimistic and energetic, curious, and demonstrate positive emotionality. Resiliency is about being flexible in stressful experiences and bouncing back when they are over.”

I’m not sure I’m optimistic.  I think I’m just stubborn enough to refuse to give anyone the satisfaction of destroying me.  And lucky enough not to have had to face the limits of what would break me.  My heart goes out to those who did and I send warm hugs to the friends and families of Jodie and Marlene Braun and all the others unable to make the journey back.

Warm wishes for an optimistic New Year to you and yours.

Follow up on Women In Trucking

Yesterday I posted a Sneak Peek of a video I’ll be posting on harassment in the trucking industry.  It featured an interview with Ellen Voie, President & CEO of Women In Trucking.  Today I received this comment from her brother and I wanted to address his concerns formally:

Beverly,

I am Ellen Voie’s brother. I don’t know what impression Ellen made on you, or what you wish to do, but I think you are missing Ellen’s goal to help start a forum for women drivers to speak out against abuses and to join together in a network that helps the profession. The Dan Rather expose’ doesn’t tell the whole story about the women who do feel well trained and equipped to drive semi’s. I hope you will interview those who are happy in their profession as well as those who feel they have been harmed and harrassed.

My Response:

First, thank you so much for posting! I am grateful that you have opened up this discussion and that your sister allowed me to interview her on this topic and I sincerely hope others join in.  I do realize and deeply appreciate that women truckers love their jobs.  That’s precisely why it’s so tragic when a co-worker who feels comfortable treating them in a lewd or sexually explicit manner jeopardizes any one of these women’s careers.

Your sister represents one approach to affecting change in the trucking industry.   And, I did speak with a woman involved in the class action suit.  She didn’t hate her job.  She LOVED it. There are powerful lawyers and well financed lobbyists representing the trucking industry.  So, the critical question becomes, who is advocating for the victim?   Because while it’s easy to see it from the side of the employer that these are the rumblings of a disgruntled employee, or the women asked for it, or want a quick payday, it’s far harder to risk speaking out for the innocent victim whose only offense was that she was a woman in a job that is traditionally male.

Raw Sound Bytes on Harassment From a Trucking Convention

SNEAK PEEK!

I hate filming in conferences. Sit downs grabbed in awkward ugly rooms with lousy lighting and booming distracting noises. But, I was willing to overlook all of that for the chance to fly down to Dallas for the Great American Truck Show and learn about the extent of harassment in the trucking industry. I packed up my smallest HiDef camera and signed up for a Press pass.  I quickly sat down with Ellen Voie, President & CEO of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) to talk with her about sexual harassment in the industry. CRST had just won a large class action lawsuit that began with nearly 270 women and was eventually ruled in CRST’s favor based on a technicality.

more about “Women In Trucking Association on Vimeo“, posted with vodpod

Voie suggested I interview Ronald Fletcher who teaches student truckers in a community college in Texas. His past students have told him lots of stories about harassment that are eerily similar to those alleged by Wood and detailed in the CRST case.

more about “Ron on Vimeo“, posted with vodpod

Although Voie may say she’s not sure if there have been cases of sexual harassment that could hold up in court others disagree. One activist who is advocating for women drivers was placed in the national spotlight when DAN RATHER REPORTS highlighted Desiree Wood in last week’s expose about the trucking industry, Queen of The Road. Wood stated that the trucking schools are falling short in training student truckers to drive safely.

On the Women In Trucking website Voie posted a response to the show:

Although it is was one of the most biased representations of the trucking industry I have ever seen…

Early next month I’ll be posting a video about Desiree in which she talks first hand about the perils of team driving she tweets and blogs about on the Internet.

NY GOV KILLS HOSTILE WORKPLACE BILL!

Governor Paterson's Veto Memo

[New York] If you’re sitting in a cubicle popping anti-depressants and hiding from a toxic boss your wait for legal protection just got longer.

On August 11th,  Governor Paterson vetoed S1948, a bill to study hostile workplaces citing the $366,000 cost amendment tagged on by NY’s Dept of Labor.

I spoke with DOL Counsel, Maria Colavito before the veto and she said the DOL would have to hire staff to conduct studies.  When I asked why they would need to conduct studies since this topic has already been researched pretty extensively for decades she voiced concern that the bill would replicate the 5 year NIOSH study currently underway.

Colavito gave me the contact info for Matt London of PEF who is deeply involved in creating policy for NY’s newly enacted Workplace Violence prevention law which protects employees in the public sector.  Type 3 Workplace Violence — worker on worker — does include workplace bullying.  Great news for public employees but no help at all for those in the private sector terrified of going to work each day and precisely the employees S1948 was expected to help.

London said that he would be happy to share data currently being gathered in NY agencies in the NIOSH study and expects it to be available in September.   It would certainly seem that this would reduce the need for any new studies or data gathering as well as impact the cost of hiring additional employees by the DOL.  And, it could also mean the DOL could meet their one year turn around deadline by concentrating on how this data reflects hostile workplaces right here in NY by holding public hearings and forums — not unlike the ones they held for the workplace violence bill.

Still not convinced?  Compare the estimated $366,000 price tag to the monetary award in last year’s landmark “workplace bully” lawsuit in Indiana.  The abused worker won a $325,000 judgment.

Research shows that each abusive boss creating a hostile workplace may cost $83,000.  This does NOT factor in the high $$ impact on the victim’s health insurance OR the loss of income during today’s economic cri$i$. [Mattice]

Add your own state to fight for a law against Workplace Bullying!

Can everyone please sign the petition my niece was involved in creating? She works for Care2 and I can’t tell you how incredibly moved I am that she is able to help provide a powerful vehicle to address this issue. The distinctions between the HWB & the Study Bill are a bit off but it came from a sincere and loving heart that just wanted to help all of us victims. And, honestly who really cares? The message is loud and clear: Bullying in the workplace is wrong and this country should prevent it.

Her Mom [my sister] spent endless long distance hours on the phone supporting me through my own horrific experience when I was being destroyed by a relentlessly abusive boss. My sister even flew out during that time because she was so concerned what I might do. Their experiences coupled with that of my husband were my inspiration for telling Tracey’s video story the way I did. Sometimes I’m not sure which is worse — being the victim or standing helplessly by while someone you love is being totally destroyed. I’ve already posted the links below on my website, my Facebook page and have been posting on other people’s walls  that I know are sympathetic as well. Please, PLEASE pass on the petition info to as many people as you can!!!

Warmly,

– Bev

Beverly Peterson   http://NoJobIsWorthThis.com 347-229-6815

Sign Care2 Petition [Link]

Care 2 Blog [Link]

Help Support NY Bill To Study Hostile Work Environments!

>>One last email from you can help make this happen!<<

>We are down to the wire.  Yes the A2247b/S1948b bill to study hostile work environments passed BUT a veto from Governor Patterson will kill this study bill.

>Please tell the Governor that he needs to act now to stop the heavy damages on both victims’ health and the high cost to NY’s businesses.

>Research shows that each abusive boss creating a hostile workplace may cost $83,000.  This does NOT factor in the high $$ impact on the victim’s health insurance OR the loss of income during today’s economic cri$i$. [Mattice]

>The estimated price for the entire one year study may be less than the price tag of just 4 of these bully bosses. The New York Healthy Workplace Advocates (NYHWA.org) estimates that 1.4 million New York Employees are subjected to Workplace Bullying in the state on a regular basis.

>Don’t forget to reference “NY Bill S1948 to Study Hostile Work Environments” in your email.

> “I personally thank everybody for their support and believe that we would not have made it this far without them! It does not matter where you live or whether you know somebody who has been a taget in the workplace, our combined voices can make the difference for everybody.” — Tracey <

>>YES, I WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT OF A2247b/S1948b NOW [link]<<

Speak out!

I recently returned from the midwest where I filmed a story about a young woman who committed suicide after suffering from repeated psychological harassment on the job. She left behind 2 young children and a loving husband and devastated relatives and friends. While I was out there I decided it was time to turn this web project into an interactive road trip and gather stories from as many states as I can afford to go to. Let me know if you have a story to tell and I’ll do my best to come out to film it. Or, if you have a camera send me a video link or a DVD and I’ll post your story too.  My email is: bullyinworkplace@yahoo.com NOTE: Remember, to protect all of us, don’t include specific names of people or companies or details that can point back to the actual people involved.

Three years, six weeks = One thousand, one hundred and forty-two days and nights!

[Submitted by Tracey] It has been three years and six weeks since I left my job of nearly twenty years and yet I am still haunted in my dreams by the terrible four months that ended my successful career, devastated me personally and financially, and completely tore my heart open. It has had a lasting effect on my relationships with family and friends. There are no easy words to describe the impact bullying in the workplace has on the lives of people who have been targeted by these modern-day Jekyll and Hydes.

IN HIS OWN WORDS: NY’s Study Bill Sponsor…

NoJobIsWorthThis.com ©Beverly Peterson

Here’s NY State Assemblyman Mark Schroeder talking about the Study Bill which needs to pass the senate in order to become law.

Study Bill moving through Albany & Illinois…

I first met Assemblyman Mark Schroeder in June 2008.  He was waiting for a House vote on his bill to study hostile work environments with the goal of stopping abusive bosses.  We all kept an eye on the vote board that hangs high above the assembly hall as Schroeder slipped out to talk to our camera.  The bill had already made it’s way through all of the committees with strong suport.  When would it come up for vote?  The clock kept ticking.  Pat, my videographer, and I held out as long as we could but finally had to leave in order to get home in time for our daily work-a-days.   Just as well since the bill never came up for a vote.  Schroeder reintroduced the study bill again this year and it passed the House and moved on to the Senate.