Bullying advice ....

[CaptinCrunch]

Hi all

I am new to these boards but I have been contracting for many years and I have found myself in a very peculiar situation.

Anybody who knows me would tell you I am very easy to get along with and I am always professional and courteous when it comes to dealing with work and work colleagues. However, recently I have found myself in a situation where my boss (another contractor) is all 'nice-as-pie' to my face but when my back is turned he is questioning my professionalism and commitment to my work when speaking to other people. I know this because they tell me and it's not just one person who he has spoken to it's several.

They all think it's quite funny.

When they have pushed him for examples, he is reluctant to provide any but recently he has stated that my timekeeping is not good and he has had complaints about me. My project manager (permie, sits opposite me every day) knows this is not true and has even asked him for proof to prove these allegations but my boss just says that he doesn't have anything to hand and/or he cant be specific for any dates and times.

It's all very strange but the problem is that my boss (a contractor like me) has the power to renew or terminate my contract next month and my PM (permie who likes my work, is happy with what I am doing for him and wants to keep me on) cant do anything if my boss wants to fire me.

My question to you all is what can I do about it? Is this bullying? Where do I stand legally as I believe my boss wants to terminate my contract so he can employ one of his friends.

Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[BrilloPad]

Not a good time to post threads like this!

Whether you are being bullied or not is irrelevant as a contractor.

While your contract is being extended I would just ignore it. Maybe he will move on?

Once contract terminated (and he is still there) pass on his email to p*rn sites. Or get Wilmslow's neighbours to come round and break his legs. Or get Wilmslow to come round and bore him to death.....

[Churchill]

Not a good time to post threads like this!

Whether you are being bullied or not is irrelevant as a contractor.

While your contract is being extended I would just ignore it. Maybe he will move on?

Once contract terminated (and he is still there) pass on his email to p*rn sites. Or get Wilmslow's neighbours to come round and break his legs. Or get Wilmslow to come round and bore him to death.....

HAB - Shirley?

(I suppose it depends on what you mean by "bore"...)

[ratewhore]

If it was me I would rise above it for the time being. People are obviously aware he is a twat.

If you don't get extended, then I personally would smack seven shades of tulip out of him...

[BrilloPad]

HAB - Shirley?

(I suppose it depends on what you mean by "bore"...)

[pmeswani]

Hi all

I am new to these boards but I have been contracting for many years and I have found myself in a very peculiar situation.

Anybody who knows me would tell you I am very easy to get along with and I am always professional and courteous when it comes to dealing with work and work colleagues. However, recently I have found myself in a situation where my boss (another contractor) is all 'nice-as-pie' to my face but when my back is turned he is questioning my professionalism and commitment to my work when speaking to other people. I know this because they tell me and it's not just one person who he has spoken to it's several.

They all think it's quite funny.

When they have pushed him for examples, he is reluctant to provide any but recently he has stated that my timekeeping is not good and he has had complaints about me. My project manager (permie, sits opposite me every day) knows this is not true and has even asked him for proof to prove these allegations but my boss just says that he doesn't have anything to hand and/or he cant be specific for any dates and times.

It's all very strange but the problem is that my boss (a contractor like me) has the power to renew or terminate my contract next month and my PM (permie who likes my work, is happy with what I am doing for him and wants to keep me on) cant do anything if my boss wants to fire me.

My question to you all is what can I do about it? Is this bullying? Where do I stand legally as I believe my boss wants to terminate my contract so he can employ one of his friends.

Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Does the permie boss have the power to terminate the other contractors contract? Judging by what you are saying, he is subject to gross misconduct. The chances are that the permie boss has clocked onto this and will most likely look to terminating the other contractor's contract. Your job is as safe as houses. However, you can act like a permie and escalate the issue to HR under gross misconduct and intimidation and see what happens. But now would be a good time to update your CV and look to move on.

[Liability]

Have you got anything on him?

I would have him by the curlies as an ace up your sleeve closer to the renewal if things get out of hand.

[Zippy]

He can choose not to renew your contract and there is nowt you can do about it. Sounds like you are better off away from such a knob anyway.

If he doesn't renew for such stupid reasons, I'd feel no remorse about naming him as a reference - as frequently as possible, and to the *ahem* lower end of the agency market. Just respond to a bogus job ad and they'll do all the work

Good luck and chin up - maybe he'll be the one getting the boot.

[Rookie]

He can choose not to renew your contract and there is nowt you can do about it. Sounds like you are better off away from such a knob anyway.

If he doesn't renew for such stupid reasons, I'd feel no remorse about naming him as a reference - as frequently as possible, and to the *ahem* lower end of the agency market. Just respond to a bogus job ad and they'll do all the work

Good luck and chin up - maybe he'll be the one getting the boot.

WHS. Good luck with it all.

[expat]

Hi all

I am new to these boards but I have been contracting for many years and I have found myself in a very peculiar situation.

Anybody who knows me would tell you I am very easy to get along with and I am always professional and courteous when it comes to dealing with work and work colleagues. However, recently I have found myself in a situation where my boss (another contractor) is all 'nice-as-pie' to my face but when my back is turned he is questioning my professionalism and commitment to my work when speaking to other people. I know this because they tell me and it's not just one person who he has spoken to it's several.

They all think it's quite funny.

When they have pushed him for examples, he is reluctant to provide any but recently he has stated that my timekeeping is not good and he has had complaints about me. My project manager (permie, sits opposite me every day) knows this is not true and has even asked him for proof to prove these allegations but my boss just says that he doesn't have anything to hand and/or he cant be specific for any dates and times.

It's all very strange but the problem is that my boss (a contractor like me) has the power to renew or terminate my contract next month and my PM (permie who likes my work, is happy with what I am doing for him and wants to keep me on) cant do anything if my boss wants to fire me.

My question to you all is what can I do about it? Is this bullying? Where do I stand legally as I believe my boss wants to terminate my contract so he can employ one of his friends.

Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

It's a bit permie I know but could you get a review with interview by boss and PM?

Mind you, I was in this situation once, and the only good way out was the door.

The PM was OK in the review, but then when his back was turned the boss did it again. Eventually we negotiated an early departure, with boss and PM; right after the review of work to do, the boss added more as soon as the PM was out of earshot. I sucked it up anyway in order to get away that Friady. Then when I handed it over, and tossed my badge on his desk, he asked about more hitherto unmentioned parts of work. That would be for next week, I said, and tried to give the impression with a glare that he really didn't want to see my mug next week. I obviously succeeded.

The exit without delay not just a contractor's good-times getout: that was December 2001, not a good time to look for a contract. But I was happier out than in.

PS the agent was right behind me. Nothing he could do, but he knew I was right.