By nevergiveinever - 01/07/2015 13:44 - United States - Emporium

Today, we had a long meeting at work about how we are supposed to feel safe, and to come to the managers if we have any problems. I decided to speak up about a coworker that has been harassing me and several others. My manager laughed at me and walked away. FML
I agree, your life sucks 30 856
You deserved it 2 026

nevergiveinever tells us more.

nevergiveinever 19

OP here, this is a long story but bare with me, lots of shit has gone down in the past week: First off, to those telling me to go to HR, here's the thing: my managers ARE HR. If they won't do anything about it, then we're screwed. Which absolutely sucks ass. Here's the full story: I work in an intricate metals factory, because that's really all my town has to offer, but manual labor a pays really well and I have bills to pay so I can't complain. And yes I will move eventually but I need to save up a few grand first. Our company recently got sold to another metal factory called Metalkraft and that factory's owners are now our owners as well, and there is normally at least one of them at our plant every day. Our managers are a married couple, which makes plenty of situations hard to figure out how to handle. Before this meeting, the husband manager had been touching me. At first it was like friendly like "welcome to the company" shoulder pats and him picking on me like the other employees..... And then it became legitimate touching of the crotch and boobs when nobody was around. When these new owners came in, I told them right away that he had been touching me inappropriately and I had found out that he has been doing to the other younger females as well. They nipped the problem right in the ass and he hasn't done it to me since. This past week, a coworker went to the owners with her own problem of harassment from the wife manager. If the stories are true, she had been yelling and screaming at this coworker about her job, when the only "problem" was this coworker was having trouble lifting some of the metal wire that comes in spools like thread that we use on our machines, and those things can get HEAVY. The wife manager claims that she didn't realize she was harassing this lady, and says that if she can't lift the wire herself and so her job herself that she does not need to have it. The managers swiftly took away the lady's office, took away her key to the front door, deducted her pay, and stuck her in the packing room with me and the rest of packing/shipping. That lady quit on Tuesday. And honestly, I don't think she really had a choice. So basically, our managers are telling us that we should feel comfortable enough to come to them with problems instead of the owners. But what they just showed us is "if you have a problem with us we will terminate your job position and make your life a living hell until you quit."

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Top comments

Welshite 39

Next step: HR. Seriously though. Sexual harassment is so common and underreported. I've been sexually harassed and my manager witnessed and encouraged it. That psychotic idiot should have been fired, but I kept my mouth shut and suffered silently. Don't let that happen to you.

274 6

Comments

idxntgiveafxck 17

A girl i use to work with would grab my butt, I liked it tho

1 1
CandyApple88 13

OP, do you work for the Australian government? Same thing happened to me when I reported an issue. Just take it straight up to HR, or if your company has an external agency taking care of things, go straight to them. Managers don't care because they get in trouble for not stopping the behaviour in the first place, so go over their heads.

0 0
shanson 22

If your managers won't listen and defend you, go to the police. Plus if you can show that they know about the harassment and ignored it you can possibly sue them

0 0
nevergiveinever 19

OP here, this is a long story but bare with me, lots of shit has gone down in the past week: First off, to those telling me to go to HR, here's the thing: my managers ARE HR. If they won't do anything about it, then we're screwed. Which absolutely sucks ass. Here's the full story: I work in an intricate metals factory, because that's really all my town has to offer, but manual labor a pays really well and I have bills to pay so I can't complain. And yes I will move eventually but I need to save up a few grand first. Our company recently got sold to another metal factory called Metalkraft and that factory's owners are now our owners as well, and there is normally at least one of them at our plant every day. Our managers are a married couple, which makes plenty of situations hard to figure out how to handle. Before this meeting, the husband manager had been touching me. At first it was like friendly like "welcome to the company" shoulder pats and him picking on me like the other employees..... And then it became legitimate touching of the crotch and boobs when nobody was around. When these new owners came in, I told them right away that he had been touching me inappropriately and I had found out that he has been doing to the other younger females as well. They nipped the problem right in the ass and he hasn't done it to me since. This past week, a coworker went to the owners with her own problem of harassment from the wife manager. If the stories are true, she had been yelling and screaming at this coworker about her job, when the only "problem" was this coworker was having trouble lifting some of the metal wire that comes in spools like thread that we use on our machines, and those things can get HEAVY. The wife manager claims that she didn't realize she was harassing this lady, and says that if she can't lift the wire herself and so her job herself that she does not need to have it. The managers swiftly took away the lady's office, took away her key to the front door, deducted her pay, and stuck her in the packing room with me and the rest of packing/shipping. That lady quit on Tuesday. And honestly, I don't think she really had a choice. So basically, our managers are telling us that we should feel comfortable enough to come to them with problems instead of the owners. But what they just showed us is "if you have a problem with us we will terminate your job position and make your life a living hell until you quit."

74 0
OysterPearls 33

They all sound horrible. I hope you find someone high up enough to take you and your co-workers seriously eventually, OP!

36 0
MandieL 27

They want you to feel comfortable enough to go to them rather than the owners, but then harass and demean you? I'd be going to the owners for absolutely everything then and when they ask about it tell them that you don't trust the managers and why.

23 0
Kahli21 15

Your job ( and your co-workers' jobs ) are protected. Your manager cannot fire or punish anyone for going to them with a legitimate complaint like that, under OSHA. It's illegal of them to do so. You have every right to go to the owners instead, if you believe the managers are incapable or are the source of any hostile work environment including harassment. You do have rights, and they have to respect them. As I posted in another comment: You are protected under OSHA or a similarly effective state-run health and safety program. You absolutely have the right to go to his boss with a complaint, and you also have the rights to a safe and harassment-free workplace. Go to his boss and make your complaint. He can NOT legally stop you from doing so, and any attempt to do so -or punish you in any way for it- is illegal. "OSHA covers private sector employers and employees in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions either directly through Federal OSHA or through an OSHA-approved state program. State-run health and safety programs must be at least as effective as the Federal OSHA program." "Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide their employees with safe and healthful workplaces. The OSHA law also prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for exercising their rights under the law (including the right to raise a health and safety concern or report an injury)."

29 0
lovelockdown23 23

I just dealt with this and I had to go to the labor board. take as many of your Co workers that will go and they'll get to the bottom of it. in the end they'll either offer a settlement to you guys or a higher pay included with getting rid of those managers.

9 0
nevergiveinever 19

See, here's the thing: I'm the only person who has the balls to go to the owners with a legitimate complaint, other than that one coworker that quit. Everybody else goes to them with issues like "I don't like this person" or "this person smells" (yes, we actually had to deal with someone that petty), or just stupid high school drama. And everybody else who has had a problem with the managers and has confided in me about it WILL NOT go to the owners because they are afraid of losing their jobs. I don't give a single shit, it's a job, I can find another one, and they can't legally fire someone because of harassment- like that other person said. But they're just too chicken, I guess. So taking coworkers with me is not an option.

7 0
sarcasticjane 27

I'm glad things have gotten better with the possible new job! If this or a similar happens again and HR is not able/willing to help, lodge a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or the Labor Board in the area. There will be an investigation and you can choose to remain anonymous to avoid possible conflicts until the issue is resolved. HR is not the last step. Keep up to date with company policies and procedures for these things and save any and all written communication that would help your case.

0 1
whatwho 5

All it takes is one voice. Hang in there OP! Give them hell!

3 0
nevergiveinever 19

One final update: apparently the company is going to shit and there is barely any work for the employees that they kept, and they have been firing and laying off people left and right. I have been laid off for over a week now and I have taken this chance to find a better job in a better location. If all goes according to plan, I move to Pittsburgh this weekend! And I took a job with a company whose manager said they would "love to have me" ! Once in a while, bad things actually turn out for the better :)

9 1
jubejube239 24

Congrats OP! I'm happy it ended on a good note.

2 0