Long time lurker posting for the first time
Context I’m Australia (F23) and my boyfriend (M21) just moved back to the city after completing three years worth of his trade in the mines. He just got a position in the city in the same trade as a 3rd apprentice so we could be together and no longer do long distance. He only started three weeks ago and one of the managers at the workshop he now works at has instantly taken and dislike to him for some reason. My partner is very shy and non confrontational but he certainly isn’t a pushover.
This general worksman is not my boyfriends tradesmen and is not a qualified tradesmen of any sort, and just over looks certain areas of the workshop as he’s been with the company a long time. Since starting he’s belittled my boyfriend, threatened to write him up because I called him during work hours – mind you the other workers also use their phones. Continuously micromanages him and undermines his abilities to do simple tasks that a first year would know how to do, gets an attitude when my boyfriend works in other areas of the workshop
that aren’t in this managers control.
Quitting isn’t really any option for him and he doesn’t have any issues with any of the other workers or managers and enjoys working there aside from this one TA. How can he go about dealing with this sort of behaviour? What tactics and language can he use to shut this behaviour down to stand his ground without making a formal complaint?