So I'm finishing up my second week's worth of constant harassment at work

[Guaranteed]

This is the big problem I'm dealing with in my life right now. I don't usually do this, but I thought I'd tell you guys about it to see if you could offer any kind of advice.

I work in a factory. We make engines in your typical mass production line. Last week I had a confrontation with my union steward. I had noticed that an engine had been stopped at his station for a good few minutes, toward the end of the shift, and he wasn't there. This isn't typical, and I'm new (I've only been there a few weeks) so I didn't realize that the guy was actually stalling the line on purpose because we were above planned production at the time. I looked at his computer screen and saw that he HAD released the engine- in theory, it should have been moving toward my station, down the line. So I waited until he got back, and I asked him if he was finished with the engine. He couldn't hear me (or acted like he couldn't) and moved closer. I asked again, and perhaps a third time, and pointed out that I saw that he had released the engine and didn't understand why it wasn't moving toward me. He looked at his monitor and then me, and look confused (obviously he was playing dumb, although I didn't know it at the time). Suddenly I noticed that the green light on the manual stop was off. I said, "Oh, here's the problem" and pulled it out. The engine started moving. Immediately he smacked the manual stop back to stop the engine and started posturing defensively. He got up in my face and said, "Do you have a problem?" Clearly he wasn't pleased with me. I briefly tried to explain to him that I only didn't understand why the engine was moving, and that's why I was asking him about it, but apparently he thought I was screwing with him.

Anyway, since then he and several other of my co-workers have been harassing me virtually non-stop. And not in a teasing sort of way. This is blatant intimidation. "Hazing" would be much too weak of a word to use to describe this. Most of it involves the union steward talking trash about me loudly enough for me to hear (which isn't difficult, since I'm always only one or two stations down from him). He says things like I should just shut the fuck up, I'm not qualified for the job (even though I DID graduate sixth grade- Hahaha that's my unsaid little comeback), that I'm not a real man because I won't confront him about the things he's doing and saying. He has also done things like putting parts on my areas of the engine in order to screw me up, but there's been so much he's done and said I could never remember it all. He and his buddies have even mocked me for being FRIENDLY and saying "Hi" to people.

Part of what makes it so easy for him to do this is that I stand out so much at work. Most of the people I work with are wearing tank tops and are dirty before they even come into work. I, on the other hand, have a college education, and I've mentioned my law school aspirations. Maybe that was a bad idea. But I wear nice collared short-sleeved shirts (which end up getting filthy by the end of the shift) and clean to fairly clean jeans, and I really don't fit in. He put it this way while talking to one of his veteran labor buddies- "I don't like guys like him. I like guys like YOU."

The only thing he hasn't done is threatened me physically.

So, anyway, he and several others don't like me. They're basically trying to get me to quit. I don't belong there, in their mind.

I've already asked my boss to transfer me to another job (although I didn't tell her why- I just told her that I already feel very familiar with the two jobs that I'm currently doing and I'm ready to branch out a bit). She didn't give me a really straight answer on the subject, but said she'd be moving people around. It also occurred to me that I maybe should tell her about this before it gets REALLY nasty, but thought that doing something like that my just be a catalyst for even worse crap coming my way. Besides, I'm not the tattletale type.

There are two weeks' worth of details here and I'm sure I'm missing telling you a lot, but to sum up, I basically just think that people are assholes. Anyone else agree?

[cleofus1]

1. you are in trouble....

Tell your boss the whole story...before someone gets you fired.

[Guaranteed]

3. What exactly am I being naive about?

And I AIN'T no fucking moron. Moron.

[cleofus1]

5. I see...

You don't comment on my very good advice that I took time out of my busy day to give to you. These co workers are going to "chump" you out. just my opinion...when these dirty undereducated guys get you fired and your standing in the unemployment line wondering what happened maybe you'll remember my wise words.

[Guaranteed]

7. Alright, so your advice is to rat on them.

Duly noted.

[Guaranteed]

4. Just so you know...HE'S the one that can be fired for what happened.

For deliberately holding up production. BIG no-no.

[Senior citizen]

2. Total agreement here

There are certain technical terms in the human resources field that everyone should know how to translate:

paranoid: doesn't like being fucked with

antisocial: doesn't react well to being fucked with

overqualified: too smart to fuck with

not a team player: too big to fuck with

fits in well: as fucked up as we are

management material: likes to fuck with people

This stuff should be required in high school.

I wish I could be of further assistance, but I'm too busy trying to learn Chinese.


:shrug:

On edit: The second post got in while I was still posting--I didn't mean to agree that you're a moron, I meant to agree with you that people are assholes.

On second edit: I forgot a term --

going postal: tired of being fucked with.

[necso]

6. Well,

You did screw up by starting the line back up, right or wrong it wasn't your place.

I would apologize for that action (whether or not you believe that you were wrong). Do it when other people (his buddies) can hear you apologize (but just refer to the "incident" or something like that, don't mention stopping the line --- you probably weren't supposed to notice that).

Give it a few days and if the problems don't stop, then ask him privately: "What the fuck is it going to take to get you off of my fucking back? Hey, I fucked up, it won't happen again, get the fuck over it.".

Running to management or trying to hide are not good options in my opinion. I sure wouldn't be telling tales to management about the union. But whatever gets you by.

The world is filled to bursting with idiots and assholes. If you must deal with them, best you don't stick out too far.

[Guaranteed]

8. I'm pretty sure he understands what really happened, now.

I don't think it makes any difference to him. The guy just doesn't like me and wants to be an asshole.

At the moment I'm holding out on that transfer.

[necso]

13. Not to disagree,

but a "man" is not afraid to admit that he was "wrong". Showing a little respect for him as steward, at least, might help. You do say that the problems started after the incident, and if he turns it into a "union thing", it could haunt you anywhere in the plant.

What he did is "industrial action" and the union guys will support him on it. Don't get on the wrong side of that. Apologizing will help make it clear that if this continues that it is a personal thing and there are probably plenty of guys who don't like him any more than you do. They just aren't speaking out --- and probably won't.

[yorgatron]

9. what nesco said,and if that doesn't work

offer to take it outside.it's about the only thing guys like that understand or respect.

[cleofus1]

10. at 46 year old....

I have worked in machine shops and warehousing and have some experience in the politics and intrigues of the workplace...you can try apologizing, but that would be tantamount to a monkey sticking his butt up in the air.
You sound like a school yard child when you say I won't rat on my fellow workers. If they are out to get you and they coordinate they're efforts (and they have half a brain)...you will eventually be toast. If he is holding up the line and management finds out you knew and did nothing you will have big problems on both fronts.
That's all I'm gonna say...sorry I called you a moron...just wanted to get your attention...maybe it's all those years I spent in machine shops that I became so vulgar.

[Guaranteed]

11. Well, I'd probably try ratting before apologizing

I don't think apologizing will do a damned bit of good. Besides, I didn't do anything wrong.

Don't think I'll rat either, though.

[Guaranteed]

12. Well, I'm heading to bed.

Gotta go to work tomorrow. Whoohoo!

[Racenut20]

14. Do NOT

Don't Rat
Don't apologize
Go to work every day and keep your nose clean
Don't react to the bullshit
Do your job right
This little bunch are well known to those others around, and you will win their respect so if your manager should ever confront you about anything, they will defend you.

You might also join the Friday night crap game in the union hall parking lot. It worked for me.

[fudge stripe cookays]

15. Coming from a bureaucracy....

and not from an industrial perspective, we had something called CYA (cover your ass). Always let someone in charge know YOUR version of events before the aggressive person does. That way, they will know the TRUTH before they are given lies to listen to.

While you don't want to "RAT," you do want to explain the situation to a supervisor so they can monitor the situation. If you come clean about starting the line back up mistakenly, and say that it was a simple mistake, he/she will know that YOU are the stand up guy. You're admitting you did something wrong, and now want the line (and your relationships with your co-workers) to run smoothly. This is good for business (say it so they understand the positive for them). Your co-worker harrassing you is affecting your job performance (BAD for the manager and production).

Don't mention names, but just say that you are being harrassed because of this simple mistake, and it is unwarranted. The manager can then see for himself/herself what the dipshit and his pals are doing. And can choose to transfer you for cause. Or fire the dipshit for insubordination.

Good luck. Being honest and covering it has always worked for me in the past. Beat the bad guys to the punch!

FSC

[MissMillie]

16. Document EVERYTHING

If this ever comes to legal action, you'll have it documented.