I read your article on whistleblowing. From my experience as a local union president, whistleblowers always pay a dear price and their career suffers. The organization has a long memory and the whistleblower will most likely be the last one promoted or given good assignments.

To my surprise, a Labour Relations' Officer from my union told me that some of the retaliation that was going on was within management's prerogatives. He was not a good LRO, but others are too reluctant to take up the fight.

Shop stewards and local union officers don’t fare much better. Often the promotions and developmental assignments are offered to 'favorites.' In my particular case, shortly after I resigned from representing the local, HR determined that I was owed my 15, 20 and 25 year of service awards (which I got one after another). This may have been a coincidence.

There are so many ways that retribution/retaliation can be executed in ways which are not easy to determine its sources, motivations and causes.

On one occasion when I brought some of these facts up at a high level union/management meeting the senior managers of the department expressed surprise and it resulted in a management campaign to promote participation in unions since union / management meetings (including OSH committees) were cited as being important to the organization.

Have a great day.

Name withheld by request

Story Tools:  Email This Post  Print This Post Top