Dispute process is part of the problem

I REFER to Caroline O’Doherty’s feature (Whistle-blowers in the workplace - keep your head down and say nothing, Irish Examiner, October 25).

Many whistle-blowers face draconian sanctions by employers if they decide to speak out. Blacklisting is commonplace, closing the door on any employee that decides to buck the system. Serious trouble may arise for employees involved in one-on-one disputes or in widespread industrial action. Many have found severe difficulty in finding alternative employment.

Other indirect sanctions involve making employees’ lives hell while they work. Management will take steps to drive the black sheep from the organisation with the help of other employees who are looking for a step up the ladder. Constructive dismissal is a complaint well known to the courts, with horrifying cases of intimidation and discrimination. These cloak-and-dagger routines can be very dirty, persecuting any employee who decides to talk out of school.