Welcome to my Rant
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Introduction
My name is Murdo MacLeod and I live on Lewis, the largest Hebridean island off the west coast of Scotland. I have set up this, my first ever Blog, for the sole purpose of exposing how I was treated by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) after many years of dedicated service as Emergency Planning Officer. The first instalment is my open letter to the Convener (de facto political leader) of the authority.
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I had not really planned inviting comments on this Blog. It is clear however that I’m not going to get any feedback from the Convener (although an Employment Tribunal might elicit a gurgle) and on the basis of the comments I have received so far, I invite you to have your say. If you consider that you have been ill-treated as an employee of the Comhairle, this is your chance to air your grievance. Your anonymity will be preserved unless you clearly indicate otherwise. All comments will be moderated and if I regard them as offensive, they will be deleted without ever appearing on the Blog.
But - if you have an axe to grind about some other issue, go do it on your own site. Any grinding of axes, teeth, gears or anything else done HERE, will be done by ME.
November 6, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Keep up the good work. The Comhairle is to staff morale what Ian Huntly is to child minding.
November 24, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Murdo, I can’t stress how grateful that I am that you have set up this blog. I am in the process of gathering information to expose the Council on their recruitment policy.
It is mind-blowing what they are getting away with. They have also tried to shut me up but I won’t be intimidated anymore. They have caused me and my family huge suffering and I won’t forgive them for that.
The Director of Sustainable Communities has employed several unsuitable employees but if you ask questions, you get threatened and all sorts. Take the previous ‘Head of Service’ for example and the present ‘Manager’ at the Creed Recycling Plant. All illegal! Yet he gets away with it. In fact, I heard today that he is ‘acting Chief Executive’ while Malcolm Burr is off.
Would that be to enhance his already huge pay before he retires in June by any chance? This would enhance his pension and he no doubt will retire without ever having been brought to justice for his repeated malpractice.
I would like to tell you the information that I have but I think we need to really expose them in the major press. This is bigger than BCCI!
Look after yourself Murdo - we need more people like you on this Island!
November 25, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Well, what a surprise. This sounds like the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I’ve not had any direct experience of being employed by the council but unfortunately I am only too aware of the appalling treatment towards a member of my family.
Now then. This particular case relates to a reasonably long standing member of staff. So I guess this sort of thing can happen to anyone.
So what’s the story? Well, in short the individual felt they were dreadfully and unfairly treated. I have to admit that I also feel the same way. In fact we all knew what the outcome was going to be and we were all proved right. Not only that, many colleagues felt the same and openly mentioned it, but when asked if they would support and help virtually everyone backed off. So to me at least, it would appear that there is an undercurrent of fear and oppression. I’ve concluded that if this is the case then the council might be fostering the kind of environment that is conducive to bullying and harassment.
A little more detail then? Well, I can say that recruitment and grievance procedures and processes were not followed. And there is a catalogue of other subsequent related matters. All the evidence I have to hand supports a strong case.
This is the worst bit. I can’t even begin to express the effect this dreadful treatment had on a proud intelligent person. It took such a terrible toll.
So, has The Comhairle Titanic struck a berg? How many more stories of mistreatment are there hidden below the surface or can her Captain Smith, officers and crew keep her patched, seaworthy and afloat?
I’ll keep an eye on your site for news from others.
November 29, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Excellent, a man who is not afraid to tell it like it is.
Chan fhiach cuirm gun a còmhradh.
December 12, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Very proud of you for doing this. Many people will be grateful for someone standing up and speaking the truth about the Council. They shouldn’t be allowed to mistreat any of their employees never mind those who are very valuable. I’m sure the pilot of the helicopter needing extra fuel was very thankful.
December 16, 2007 at 7:15 pm
The sad thing is that, as bad as some of the incidents listed on this blog are, far worse incidents have happened in the Comhairle since 2002. One incident in particular, and widely known in at least one department of the Comhairle, must surely be giving the Convenor sleepless nights. Unless he has, literally, an escape plan (for himself and his pension) for if/when he is sacked, disgraced, and/or the police come knocking.
I can confidently predict that this next six months will not be a happy time in some parts of the Comhairle. And that journalists, both here and on the mainland, are going to have lots to write about.