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what to do.. vindictive collegue

J

you could take a photo with a copy of the newspaper or a receipt from the canteen or similar with a date and time on it in the picture you couln't fake that. that would be your proof that the room was tidy. Don't let them take decisions about your future without you being there, confront the person and just ask them what they are playing at

C

I'm shocked. I think you should try and stop it getting to you as it is them in the wrong, not you.
Having someone impartial in the meeting sounds good. I'm sure you can equally make a complaint about how you were treated too.

Hope it gets sorted out soon. What a horrible situation.

S

I would write an official statement of your side of the story prior to any meeting - send it to the supervisor and copy it in to the head of department and any relevant student representatives

I would make it clear that this matter is impacting on your work in this letter - you can make a complaint about this sort of treatment but you MUST document it wherever possible

Speak to the student's union - they will be able to give you advice. Document the fact you have had meetings with people about this as you can use it as evidence

B

What a nightmare situation to be in.

If you supervisor isn't supportive then ... get another supervisor! Your supervisor is supposed to be there to guide you through the PhD (i.e. you are supposed to be banking on their support/knowledge to get you through this process). So I'd be less concerned about 'tidy labs' and more concerned about the future implications this would have on me (i.e. spending 3/4 years of working in a nasty environment, and not having a PhD to show for it at the end of the process).

P

today my sup has said 'sort it out for yourself i dont have time' so im getting a rep from the SU to sit in on the meeting... fingers crossed.

H

Catch her in a compromising position and then use it to blackmail her

Seriously though, it sounds awful. Must be impossible to get any work done with that hanging over your head. It's so difficult to believe that people can be so nasty in what's supposed to be a professional environment.

Good luck, have my fingers crossed for you!

S

me too. fingers crossed.

M

Message Removed.

B

Her behaviour is BULLYING. Plain and simple. Here is a definition of it if you don't believe me:

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=797

Your uni should have procedures in place for people being bullied / harassed -- they are legally obliged to -- and I really think you need to take advantage of these.

P

well ive had 'the meeting' in which the room manager was basically nasty, my supervisor just sat there but thankfully the SU rep tried to help me in saying what basis do these comments have etc etc surely you can see two sides to the situation, so it was left as him basicially reading me my rights and saying i need to change etc. so ive formally complained and the SU rep is helping me. as soon as i went in there this morning he came and had a go about the mess even though i have not been in.. arg.

K

Hi phdgirlie, bet you're glad the meeting's over. I think you are being victimised here and there may be the subject of a campaign to drive you out of the workspace. You are well within your rights to do something about it.

You should draft a letter to your head of department or director or research. You should say that you have been the recipient of unsubstantiated and unreasonsed accusations regarding that room, that you have done nothing to warrant them, that you are being harrassed to the point where you have had to seek advice and assistance from a union representative.

They simply cannot accuse people of things left right and centre and more importantly cannot expect anyone not to argue back if they haven't done anything wrong! Use the SU rep as much as you can - that's what they're for and sounds like you have a good one.

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