I work in the Western US for a prominent music venue. Previously, my schedule was made by the head of my department, let's call them Peter, but has since been taken over by a woman, let's call her Mary.
Mary has so far accused me both publicly and privately of taking materials from one office to another, and of stealing from coat check, respectively. The coat check accusation was seemingly solely because I am a fan of the artist who's merch was stolen. It's gotten back to me that she's been interviewing my coworkers in different departments than to still occupy, if they have “ever been made to feel uncomfortable around (me)” or if I've ever been known to be intoxicated at work. I've had three coworkers approach me with this information, all of them women, and all of them telling me that they rebuked her questions and said I was supportive and a valued team member. Mary's reproachfulness has gotten so bad that she has completely taken me off the schedule for November in favor of people who have little to no training for the role. I was planning on talking to her directly, but with the recent discussion with a coworker that she has a “personal vendetta” against me, I'm gonna say fuck that and go over her head to our bosses. It's been so bad that another manager has noticed and went to intervene on my behalf for a simple inquiry about building access cards, and another has advocated me bringing this to my bosses attention. I learned today that Mary is trying to get another girl in my department fired for lodging a complaint against her.
I'm not gonna sit here and tell you all that I'm a perfect employee, cause I'm not. But I don't steal and I sure as hell don't act like a creep to coworkers. I strive to make my time around others be a safe place and have been very cognizant of what I say at work. I'm regularly mentioned as going above and beyond being helpful and welcoming in my customer facing roles and am also often called on to do roles that are inherently convoluted because of my experience.
I just scheduled an email to go out Monday morning asking for a meeting with my bosses where I intend to lodge a complaint against Mary for her ongoing harassment and punishment of me via my hours.
Has anyone else experienced a problematic middle manager like this? Any words of advice? I live in a one party consent state for recording conversations so will def be recording all convos going forward.