Boss has lost all faith in me, coincidentally at the same time I told him I'm pregnant - advice please!

[fleacircus]

I'm a teacher, I started my present job in April 2006. It was a post created for me after I applied unsuccessfully for a senior role. My boss has always been really positive about my work and has also supported me in gaining a significant professional qualification. I got pregnant the first time after I'd been in post for a year, and returned to work last July, working 4 days a week. When I got back, I found that a lot of the work I'd done had been dismantled, and also that the staff I'd been allocated meant that I had to substantially alter the way in which my team worked. Also my own timetable had substantially changed so that the majority of my work was now in a different department.

I didn't want to make a fuss about any of this at the time but just got on with doing the best I could with the resources allocated. Last October my boss asked if I would be willing to take on leadership of a new team in addition to my existing role. I agreed, although I was anxious about my capacity to manage all of this in four days. In January, I realised that this was not working and stepped down from the extra role. At the same meeting I told my boss that I was pregnant again.

Since then his attitude has completely changed. He has called me in about my absence record, and again to criticise me for the way I am managing my team and workload. In a staff briefing he was openly dismissive of me, in a way which has caused a significant number of my colleagues to comment on how unreasonable he is being. I feel that he is punishing me for resigning from the other role, but also for being pregnant. I have written to him in response to his most recent criticisms, one of which was based on wholly false information. I don't want to get my union involved as I prefer to deal with things myself, but feel I am running out of options. Should I just keep my head down, or is there any other course of action open to me?

Sorry this is so long...

[pavlovthecat]

It is unacceptable to be openly dismissive of a colleague or employee in front of other people. I am sorry you are experiencing such an awful time at work.

Keep records of all conversations you have, bullying is not about the intention of the person bullying you, but about how you as the recipient are being made to feel as a result of unwarranted behaviour.

I think you should talk to your union rep. Even if it is to seek further advise and guidance about how to deal with it yourself. It may be that they guide you and should they need to, they will work on your behalf at a later date and already know what is going on. But then, I guess I have so many issues with my work in the past of this kind of nature that I have an actual union rep of my own who gives me advice and guides me on any issue that concerns me now.

[piccolamammaagain]

Yes I would talk to your Union Rep also. It will give you a better idea of how to manage the situation. Ultimately though it sounds like you are conscientious and good at your job. This is what is important because you will be appreciated by a good employer if you get fed up of this one - who sounds very silly. In the meantime as long as you get your salary and know you have done your best what your unhelpful boss says is his own problem and other people clearly see that too. Good luck

[kickassangel]

it's alos very clear that any illness during/related to pregnancy should be dealt with differently from other illnesses.
fwiw, most unions prefer to at least be informed of what is going on - i used to just copy in my union rep (openly noted on letters) when problems arose.

[thirtypence]

Involve the union - that's what you pay subs for. Also you could unwittingly make things worse. I got a lawyer when my boss (not teaching at that time) became an arse as I announced my pregnancy. If I had tried to do it myself I would have just added a whole lot of stress and been walked over, conned and patronised.

One look at the lawyers expensive suit and everything was sorted out.