Dear Sir/Madam

I would like to know how many employees of the city council have
been absent from work due to either stress, anxiety, depression or
any combination of those ailments between 1st August 2004 and 31st
October 2008.

Please also confirm how many complaints of bullying have been made
by employees of the council against managers or colleagues during
the same period.

Please confirm how many employees have claimed constructive
dismissal within the same period for bullying/harassment.

Please confirm how many claims have been filed against the city
council at the Employment Tribunal within the same period for bullying/harassment.

I would ask that you remember the statutory duty imposed upon
public authorities by virtue of Section 16 of the Freedom of
Information Act to provide advice and assistance to requesters. If
for any reason you are leaning toward rejecting any part of this
request or if you plan to argue that it is unmanageable or
unanswerable in any way then I would expect you to contact me
promptly to find ways to answer this request to our mutual
satisfaction.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear Sir or Madam

Thank you for your prompt response. I would also clarify when I mentioned constructive dismissal, I was referring to the employee directly, similar point about bullying and harassment complaints, there is no Employment Tribunal claim called "bullying and harassment". This will usually form part of a claim for unfair dismissal or one (or more) of the various discrimination claim and/or under the Protection from Harassment Act. Could you provide the information on the aforementioned.

Could you provide the information in electronic format via this website.

Thank you for your full co-operation

Yours Sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear David Sinclair

Thank you for your prompt response. How many people actually work for Weymouth & Portland Borough Council? When the figures were collated for constructive dismissal Did this include the employee directly? There is no Employment Tribunal claim called "bullying and harassment" . This will usually form part of a claim for unfair dismissal or one (or more) of the various discrimination claim and/or under the Protection from Harassment Act, can you confirm how many employees have claimed on these ground for either constructive dismissal or one(or more) of the various discrimination claim and/or under the Protection from Harassment Act?

Please confirm how many employees have claimed constructive dismissal within the same period 1st August 2004 and 31st October 2008 for bullying/harassment, unfair dismissal or one (or more) of the various discrimination claims and/or under the Protection from Harassment Act.

You said: TWO. Did this include the aforementioned?

Please confirm how many claims have been filed against the city council at the Employment Tribunal within the same period for bullying/harassment or one (or more) of the various discrimination and/or under the Protection from Harassment Act.

You said: ONE. Did this all so include the aforementioned?

Thank you for your assistance and full co-operation

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear Mr Sinclair

Have you had a chance to look into my request any further?

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear Mr Sinclair

Thank you for your prompt response and full co-operation. I worked for Liverpool City Council for over 20 years and had to resign due to bullying and oppressive behaviour by management. I have launched a campaign for a change in the law in relation to workplace bullying investigations. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/08Bullying/ I started this campaign so that no one else should have to go through the experiences I have been through. No council is above the law. I have contacted the GMB political officer Iain McNicol on numerous occasions to support a change in legislation...but alas he does not seem very interested. I have had positive feedback from other unions .

If you campaign for a change of legislation this will be first for Weymouth & Portland Borough Council
I draw your attention to the following information:

Surveys repeatedly reveal that between 10-50% of employees experience bullying which prevents them from fulfilling their duties.

Bullying has nothing to do with managing; bullies are weak, inadequate people who use bullying to try and hide their inadequacy.

Bullying is, in most cases, the tip of an iceberg of wrongdoing, hence the employer's reluctance to take any action.

Employers are often more scared of the bully than the employees and the most common outcome is to get rid of the target and to promote the bully.

The absence of legislation on bullying at work leaves both employees and employers unprotected.

Bullying is the cause of underperformance, not the solution.

Stress is now the number one cause of sickness absence; bullying is a major cause of stress.

The cost of bullying to industry and taxpayers is estimated to at least £12 billion annually. The cost of conflict in the workplace (including harassment, discrimination, violence, legal action, injury to health, insurance, regulatory and legislative bodies, staff turnover etc) could be in excess of £20-30 billion annually. This is equivalent to a hidden tax burden of over £1000 per working adult per year.

Only about 2% of bullying cases make it to employment tribunal due to the inadequacy of UK law in respect of bullying and the absence of provision for compensation for detriment caused by bullying. Only about 0.5% of cases result in compensation for detriment in excess of the legal bill.

The issues I have raised have been brushed under the carpet for far to long. It's time that changes were made and it would be so good if Weymouth and Portland Borough Council could take lead and instigate a nation anti bullying campaign. To introduce adequate legalisation to protect the workforce from bullying and oppressive behaviour. Councils make the mafia look like choir boys as they investigate themselves and they will never admit they are wrong.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray