Supervisor - Formal Greivance

[Resident]

So my supervisor has launched a formal grievance allegedly to what I've said in a private conversation she wasn't present for, regarding certain members of staff, including her, getting special treatment, with particular reference to her husband always being schedule for the same shift times as her and always being the standby rather than given regular shifts. I, allegedly bad mouthed her for this.


She claims that it was another member of staff that told her about it.


Here's where I am with it:

1. Her complaint is based off hearsay. She wasn't present at the time of the alleged conversation
2. The content of the alleged conversation, ie the special treatment is a matter of record, it's already been confirmed by the manager leading the investigation that she does indeed have a special arrangement with the Operations director.
3. Despite there being at least 8 other individuals, I am the only one being named (targeted?) by the complaint
4. Myself and her have had run ins before regarding her attitude towards staff members.
5. There is history of her abusing her position to change staff rotas without authorisation, which was swept under the rug and she was transferred to another location.

The investigating manager has stated that if I apologise then the matter will be dropped.

What would you guys do?

Personally I'm unwilling to apologise as I know full well that will be taken as an admission & then used later on. The fact is she has no evidence of the alleged conversation, the alleged content of which is factual. I also feel the fact that I've been singled out makes this an attempt to "bully" me because I won't take her nonsense & that this grievance has been raised in bad faith/maliciousness.

Also, this complaint was lodged in late January but I've only just been notified of it. Would this count as an unreasonable delay?

 

[Resident]

1. Conversation happened.
2. I expressed an OPINION on a factual happening, nothing I stated was untrue.
3. The person who told her will not go on record, if they do they're done as ratting on other staff to management is career suicide (we're unionised)
4. This goes to @Felon 's last point. TWICE now the investigating manager has come to me informally. Once to tell me of the grievance being filed (no details) & secondly to fill me in on the details and suggest I apologise.

 

[Resident]

Spoken with Union chair today.

The apology is off the table. Union view is that any apology will be seen as admission of guilt and will be used against me.

Their view is there is zero evidence until I do. Claim is based on hearsay and this is why management want it done informally.

Union position is also that of one of being singled out.

From my experience she'll be wanting to get you fired anyway, to create a environment of fear- that anyone who says anything about her or her husband will be dismissed.

She'll then use your case as evidence for the next one, that she is being bullied.

Best to look elseware. Or just stay on the benefits and let people like her pay your benefits

Tbh they try to fire me I know enough about goings on that will secure my job

 

[Resident]

So I'll update:

1. So far I have had no FORMAL meeting regarding this, however the manager dealing with has tried twice now to get me to apologise so that 'it doesn't need to go any further and be marked on my record'

2. As for specifics, I've not actually been told the exact thing I'm supposed to have said, other than being part of the discussion and giving an opinion that apparently upset the the complainant when they were told what I allegedly said

3. The complainant raised the grievance on 30/01/25, I was not informed of this until just over 2 weeks later. As of now it's been almost a month

4. No other participant of the conversation in question has been complained about.

5. My union rep says to let it run. They believe it the management won't go any further than the informal chats I've already had due to the lack of evidence. The personnel that told the complainant what I allegedly said aren't willing to make formal statements as it would be career suicide because all their colleagues would then know they're rats & they'd end up ostracised.

 

[Resident]

You should like a walking red flag tbh

What industry? So I can avoid more than anything.

Transport industry

Sounds like an escalation.

Why not "I do not know what has been reported to you, but if anything that i have said is hurtful, i apologise."

Be the bigger man. Even if you feel that you are in the right, an apology never hurts, particularly in private, and get on with your life. Unions rarely help resolve these issues.

Because ANY apology would be used as an admission of guilt when no guilt has been established. There's precedence that management have done this before, got the person to apologise whilst everything was off record then used it against them.

Union/My position that if an apology is all that is wanted by the complainant then we get that on record, in a formal setting and a formal apology would then be issued. This would then close the matter officially and cannot be used.

If you cant be kind, sometimes its better to say nothing at all.

Appreciate the special treatment will drive people mad, but bitching to others about it does not get it fixed or resolved. Are you just mad that you dont have a special arrangement?

It's more of a case of this individual has been known to abuse said special arrangement, been caught but management swept it under the carpet. My position is that the arrangement should have, at minimum, been nullified due to that abuse. I'd even go as far as it being gross misconduct. There are also other couples within the business that have asked for similar treatment, like being granted holidays together and been refused

 

[Resident]

So, why are you their voice of reason and why should you put your head above the water to be shot?

Sounds like this is something that's got absolutely sweet FA to do with you, but you stuck your nose in to it.

Or I took part in a discussion about it and gave my opinion?