Anyone know anything about employment law????Help!

[Enchanted]

I and another collegue have found our situation at work unbearable for more than a year now. After yesterday DC could take no more and went off sick today with stress, she is 6 months pregnant and only 4 weeks away from maternity leave. After another incident today, I left work at my usual time and desided I could take no more. We met up and talked it all through and came to the conclusion that enough is enough and we had to take a stand.
The problems started when a manager from our other project became manager of both projects. (we work for a charity, community alcohol rehab)
10 people have left (very unhappy) in the past year. I myself have not been bullied directly but have had to wittness the bullying of others. Then today at staff meeting our manager laid into me, she was so loud, dismissing and intimidating I fell silent and waited for end of shift. I was himilliated.
There is a flagrant disregard for health and safety and as we work with a caotic client group we feel threatened and unprotected.
Policies are continually broken by the organisation and moral couldn't get any lower. We were once a bright enthusiastic team and now we are nervous, inconfident and affraid to speak out as 'you don't want to rock the boat'
We have rang our diector today and told her we were signed off sick and that we have some serious issues to raise with her. We told her we would like to speak to her and the HR on Monday. Trouble is, these complaints have been raised many times by many people and nothing has ever been done. Our diector seems also to disregard us, we are not confident.
I know what we are doing is right, I feel my integrety has bee compromised for so long that I can't just do nothing, after all whats the worse that can happen? and can things be much worse?
We have likened it to being in a domestic violence situation where you just keep hoping the next day will be better.
So often in my life I have walked away from situations for a quiet life and not made a stand. Those occations have stayed with me ever since. But, I am so scared now, I feel they are going to chew us up and spit us out. They are dishonest and can be quite intimidating
We feel we should bring an independent wittness with us into the meeting to absorb all thats been said.
I am sooooo scared, can anyone help, we are two little fish in what seems like a massive pond however it's actually just a county based charity.

[Caligula]

Enchanted, it's one of those situations which when you're in it seems insurmountable, but I promise you it isn't. I've been in this situation and as soon as I put my neck above the parapet and burned all my bridges, I stopped feeling scared and felt empowered.

Here's a link:

the andrea adams trust

They have a helpline and can help you sort out any legal advice etc.

HTH.

[Enchanted]

Caligula, thank you soooo much.
I'll give them a call tomorrow.
I just wish I didn't feel like I am about to put my neck on the line and have my head chopped off.
This is usually why I opt for the easy solution, this is causing me so much anxiety. The fear is eating me up.

[Chandra]

JUst wanted to send you a hug and the best luck for your meeting. I don't know about job law in this country but agree with Caligula, if you are prepared to leave you are the one with the power. Unless you are not so convinced you really want to go. Consider your options and possible scenarios and use them to plan what you want to get from the meeting.

My father is a lawyer and independently of the different advice he can provide he is always consistent with the following: Write everything you would like to be discussed at the meeting, be objective, don't use adjectives (though you can apply them to the situation never to a person). And most important of all, don't get angry or at least don't show it. Hope that helps

[nightowl]

enchanted, i was bullied at work for years. by a collegue. when i tried to tell my supervisor it was suggested i was "just jealous" of said collegue. no matter what i did they just would not believe me. it was like banging my head against a brick wall. said collegue had the sunnyest of personalities when anyone else was around. i say colleague, i was actually above her when she first joined the company. i eventually gave up trying and just got on with it for an easy life, took all the moods, silent treatment, snide comments. she made my life hell at one point and as well as this, we had gotten to know each other quite well and were supposed to be friends. at times it was like being back at school and she was the teachers pet. my supervisor would lay into me quite often..for no good reason. humiliate me in front of other staff, blame me for any mistake that was made. i put up with it all as i loved my job. i was even singled out for a good shouting at when i was far into my pregnancy (had previously been signed off with stress). being signed off never made them treat me better, worse if anything. i felt that i had been accused of "skiving". i wish now i hadnt put up with it because i lost my job anyway. they made me redundant when i was on maternity leave and gave my job to this girl. all that i went through was for nothing..so if you make a stand good for you, i wish i had done when i still had the chance.