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Dealing with trainer who seems to have temperment issue

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  • 03-02-2022 9:31pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,244 ✭✭✭


    Maybe I was jinxing it by typing this thread but something quite offensive was said to me. I began working a new job on Monday and was introduced to an a$shole of a trainer. It started with something that wasn't all that bad; he was showing two of us around the site and as he was bringing us through some yard he joked to somebody he knew "two new lambs for the slaughter here" if I heard it right. Later that day we met the overall boss who gave us a big spiel about not taking stuff personally from the public. That's never been a bother to me; if only he knew that the only guy that been bothering me so far is the guy under himself.

    The next offensive remark came towards the end of the second day. As we came to the end of the day instead of saying goodbye he said "disappear"! A few seconds later after we'd sorted the stuff on our desks and were ready to go he said "right lads, ciao... disappear quietly and I'll see ye in the morning". It's basically a more polite way of saying "get out of my face". And seeing as I was the only one of the three who first language was English I felt the onus was on me to say something. I should have called him on it but I found that my brain was too busy trying to figure out a way to interpret the remark as if it weren't an offensive one! Earlier that day he gave me a nudge as I was the first of the group to walk into the room of another trainer as we were about to leave him for a while. I don't know if it was meant to be his guiding hand or something but there was a bit more force than necessary. The sort of thing that you'd imagine being done to a cow in the mart. I know I should have confronted him but I didn't. We had a different trainer since Wednesday next day thankfully, who is more patient. I t was almost as if he wanted to get his dig in the last day he'd be dealing with us.

    Part of the reason it was hurtful was because I liked being able to start fresh at a new company. Being knocked into place like this does not help me or the company. Is it a coincidence that the one person in the world who I'd tolerate such behaviour from is the person who's able to get away with it. And yes of course I would agree that if I were the owner of a company and a brand new employee complained about someone to me on their first week, alarms bells may be ringing in my head. This very trainer read out the company policy on bullying and told us "that is one thing this company won't f**king tolerate"! Hmm. It's also a kick in the guts to think that it's mandatory to join a union with this company... because what are unions for? Dealing with matters such as abusive behaviour. But what would I be told if I thought about reporting this to the union? Oh you don't want to be drawing attention to yourself. Perhaps my big ego doesn't help in such matters, but I thought I'd be beyond this at my age. I guess some bullies can really pounce on new employees when their guards are down.



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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 10,782 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    I honestly feel you're over thinking those two comments. I personally see nothing amiss with them.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,177 ✭✭✭Fandymo


    I think the issue is a lot bigger in your head than in real life. I wouldn’t consider anything you’ve typed to be abusive or out of the norm.



  • Registered Users Posts: 14,572 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Not the most pleasant or sensitive things to say, but hardly offensive. Life is going to always be tough for you Brid if you are so easily offended.



  • Registered Users Posts: 33,979 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Person makes joke about new starts being lambs to the slaughter in offensive shocker....


    Id say it was more of a crap qwip the type that are made with zero ill will meant.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭hawley


    His comment to you when leaving, telling you to "Disappear" was unnecessary and aggressive. Him saying that you're lambs to the slaughter, infers that he thinks that he has some kind of power over you. You would need to be able to prove that he hit you with force. Basically you need a witness. It might be worthwhile to outline how it all to a manager. I know you probably don't want to make a fuss of this, but you don't want to have people treating you like that either.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 14,572 ✭✭✭✭Dav010




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭hawley


    She said that he nudged her with force, like hitting a cow in a mart.



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,782 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    "Disappear" "Vamoose" "Scram" "Off with yea". Informal harmless language. Where's the aggression?

    "Lambs to the slaughter" is an old adage for newbies to a role.

    I'd hate to see how you'd react to real aggression, bullying or abuse.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭wench


    Lambs to the slaughter means that they are innocents, new to the job. It doesn't have sinister overtones.



  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I think you might be a bit too sensitive OP



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭wench


    Brid is a him (if it matters), and everywhere he works he meets arsholes out to get him. You know what they say about meeting arsholes all day...



  • Registered Users Posts: 14,572 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Have you ever been to a mart? I suspect the op is exaggerating for effect. As others have said, it’s office banter for newbies, it is offensive if you are looking to be offended.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭hawley


    The title of the thread must mean that there's more to it than that. There's obviously an element of aggression in the interactions.



  • Registered Users Posts: 56,034 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Give the chap a bit of leeway and time. I mean, it’s hardly incessant. You’re there what, a day?



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭wench


    It really doesn't. This poster has form in looking for offense where none was intended.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,771 ✭✭✭irelandrover


    Two new lambs to the slaughter would be a normal way of introducing new colleagues to me.

    I can see why you'd find "disappear" offensive but could also see why someone else wouldn't even notice it

    The nudge could have been a complete accident.

    However you seem to have a lot of posts where you have issues with your employer and no one else does. At some point you have to ask yourself questions.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,177 ✭✭✭Fandymo


    Jesus, do people like this actually exist in the real world?? Lamb to the slaughter, another victim, run now before you get used to the place are all ice-breakers I’ve heard said to new starters.

    Disappear, scram, get out of my sight before I find something else for you to do, are also jokey ways of telling you that you can head off home. I’ve also been told “You can fcuk off home now if your finished” when working on a site. I’ve no idea how I didn’t faint. FFS.

    If someone came to me with any of the above they’d be gone before their trial period was up. No need for that sort of nonsense in the workplace.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭hawley




  • Registered Users Posts: 10,782 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    So the OP reads more in to what was said than is reasonable and then you read between the lines for pure supposition? Remarkable.



  • Registered Users Posts: 14,572 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Should that matter? It doesn’t come across as aggressive or offensive irrespective of gender.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,383 ✭✭✭Jequ0n


    Well OP, you just be taking this non story VERY seriously to have pasted the same post in at least 2 threads. I hope you find the closure you need.



  • Registered Users Posts: 689 ✭✭✭blackvalley


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058223416/pat-shortts-daughter-go-away/p1

    Sounds like our old friend Brid is extremely sensitive to his own feelings but is totally indifferent to the feelings of others judging on his comments about Pat Shortt,s daughter. Then again I get a strong smell of " agitating the excrement " from this post .



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭HBC08


    Meanwhile,off the Internet and back in the real world...

    By the way Brid is a he,that's the least of his worries though.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,244 ✭✭✭Brid Hegarty


    Agitating the excrement? I haven't heard that before? What does it mean?



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭hawley


    It means looking for a reaction. Have you brought up any of the issues with someone in the company? Do you think that you're too sensitive and have you gone over the incidents again in the past few days. You need to keep a record of any incidents for future reference if you do want to make a complaint.



  • Registered Users Posts: 748 ✭✭✭Paul_Mc1988


    Brid and Hawley have obviously lived very sheltered lives. I can tell you from experience I've heard things 50 time worse and nothing said.

    Most of them phrases have no ill meaning and are banter comments. If you ever want to move up in the job space you'll need a thicker skin.

    On the other hand make a complaint to the boss and see how it goes and post back in here so we can have a laugh :D



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭hawley


    But in a lot of the incidents you witnessed, workers may have had a case for workplace bullying. I don't think that there's enough in Brid's experience for doing so yet. He probably just wants to feel comfortable at work and that he's in a safe space. Some people have different triggers. If he had called out the trainer, it would have helped stop it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 748 ✭✭✭Paul_Mc1988


    It's all how it's interpreted. In the overwhelming majority of them it would be the so called "triggered person" just being weak minded and soft and if on probation or there under a year they would and should be given their marching orders.


    The workplace is no place for them kind of people constantly causing issues that are not really there.



  • Registered Users Posts: 20,338 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    I'd consider the lambs to the slaughter remark and the dissappear remark as light ribbing. I wouldn't say dissappear to anyone but it's really not worth getting cross about.

    I don't know how to phrase this without it appearing to endorse bullying. But mild ribbing is normal for new staff to a job. It's a mild version of an initiation test. You take a mild slagging and show that you're not too sensitive and people can relax around you. That's how it worked in olden times anyway. It doesn't mean the Work environment will be brilliant or happy or bad or anything else. I would just smile and take it easy to see hat happens next.

    I wouldn't say anything based on those incidents. The physical shove might be a different story but it could have been a mistake or a loss of balance or a shove.

    I'd stay positive and see how things progress. Might be absolutely nothing in it.

    Post edited by El_Duderino 09 on


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  • Registered Users Posts: 13,746 ✭✭✭✭Dial Hard


    Honest question, dude, have you ever had a job where you *didn't* have issues with the people? Cause there's only one common denominator here that I can see.



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