What can you do?

I work for an independent advice giving organisation this you would think would be the perfect place to work and have your rights protected. You would be mistaken. This shonky organisation cares only for its reputation. If a colleague calls you a liar, thats considered fine. If that colleague bullies other workers, thats also fine.

I'm not sure how I can continue to help our volunteers give advice to people about work issues and not feel it stick in my throat.

Let me tell you what I mean.

Just over two weeks ago I witnessed a "colleague" embark on a rant about the quality of a volunteers work. Shouting the odds to another colleague, in the open office, with other people in ear shot. Now I am not saying there was no cause for them to complain, only that they chose to act in a manner which is contrary to our organisations dignity at work/anti bullying policy. This person is physically intimidating and frequently has driven others into tears. Because of the nature of this "persons" behaviour, no one has been willing to make a complaint.
I decided to take that step, and approached a member of the management, and after some discussion I agreed to think about making a formal complaint. As I left the meeting another colleague approached me and asked for a confidential chat. They then told me a catalogue of events, with this person being relentlessly bullied by the "colleague". But they did not want to talk to management. I felt that I had not choice but to mention this when I went back with my formal statement.
I was later informed that there would be an investigation of my complaint and I was aware that other colleagues were interviewed, including those present at the incident I had raised.

Today there was a meeting with the "colleague" and a manager. It would appear he was also intimidated by this person, to the extent that he took her word that nothing happened. He said lawyers had advised him that as "all these things had happened in the past", there was nothing he could do.

This happened on a day when i helped 4 people with their debts, one person with a complaint about a bank, and discussed introducing a new way of helping people with debt.

If I said I was pissed off, it would be a bit of an understatement, not sure what to do, so I thought I would blog it from day to day and see where it takes me