Stress at Work (The Working Week: Do We Work Too Many Hours?)

Member Name: wtwildcats

Product:	The Working Week: Do We Work Too Many Hours?
Date:	08/01/03 (117 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none

Disadvantages: it makes you ill

Forgive me now while reading this. I've just come home from work because I can't spend any more time with my boss - he's driving me up the wall. So this won't be a well though out, balanced review - it'll probably be more of a rant, but I do need to do something, and this will be cathartic for me.

I'm a Trade Union rep. Did you know that work related stress is becoming one of the biggest reasons why people take time off from work? Well, it is. The European Health and Safety week, back in October, selected stress as its theme, to help people understand more about it.

Stress often sneaks up on you without notice: you don't seem able to fully settle one day, but don't know why, then maybe you start to lose sleep, maybe to start to drink or smoke more, you become more irritable, and if its work related, you start to take your work home with you.

Its not good, and it's the employers duty under Health and Safety legislation to perform risk assessments to try and manage stress at work.

But what happens when you boss is a w****r?

well, after a month of sticking it, I finally crack. I go to his bosses office and break down, much as I am now. I burst out crying, and 10 minutes later, finally start to speak.

Whilst I'm not scared to show emotion, cos its a sign of strength, I don't particularly like to cry at work. But things have just been getting on top of me too much recently.

Myself and a collegue have started an industrial dispute, regrettably. This was something that I never wanted to do. But from that moment on, my line manager changed. And, very recently, he has stopped talking to us - for example this morning, he had to walk past us when he got into the office, and never said anything. he went straight to the other end of the office, and started talking to them. That's actually Harassment, and it was the straw that broke this camels back, and also broke the f

loodgates.

Firstly, my Branch Secretary wasn't in (the main person in charge of my union branch), so thats when I went to see my bosses boss. Anyway, I've now been sent home, and am off to see the doctor in a few days.

If any of you have read my previous ops on what I do for a living, you will see tha dealing with stress is a normal feature of my job, and generally I can cope with it. As a rep, I listen and counsel others when they are feeling particularly stressed, so at least I know what I need to do.

But going to work was becoming a major trauma these last few days. I've so not wanted to do it. being at home isn't much better either, cos I live alone, and don't know many people (ok, I don't know anyone) here that isn't connected with work, so I have no-one to talk to when I get home.

Its hard to settle, I never sleep, well, ok I grab one hour a day or so, and I cry a lot. Oh, a I drink even more!

I was diagnosed as being clinically depressed many years ago. Thats something that never really leaves you, and I can tell that this has been triggered again. I know the warning signs, and I've steamed past that lot, and I'm going downhill with my foot firmly on the accelerator.

Soon though, I'll reach the bottom, and then there's the slow steady climb back to health.

But at this moment in time I'm thoroughly pissed off.

Thats enough. I'm going now.

*** UPDATE on FRIDAY 10TH JAN 2003 ***

Well, I'm off work today, but have had a chat with my doctor. Just this short time from work has made me feel so much better, and my union welfare group have provided a counsellor locally for me, which is great.

The doc hasn't signed me off from work, so I'll be going back on Monday.

There was a meeting yesterday at work, which my collegue who is also in this dispute with me attended. Anyway, the managers have bac
ked down and our dispute was successful, which is nice to know.

The Doctor asked me to come straight back to her, if work was a problem on Monday, but just to have a few days away where I've not had to face my boss (who's actually wrote and posted to me, an apology and an undertaking that he wouldn't act the same way again) has helped a lot.

Thank you very very much for all your kind words, and offers of help. I'm not out of the woods at all, but I'm climbing back up again.

Cheers.


Thanks for reading.

Andy

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