So I just posted this in /maliciouscompliance after reminiscing on this memory during the day. Figured it had a lot to do here also, as my employer was toying with our job security to achieve her goal, and it bounced back it her face.
It was a while ago, when I was working in a community-based organisation. We provided end-of-the-line shelter for people and did rights advocacy in a medium town (100k). The salary was low but okay, most employees were there because they believed in what we did and fighting for the cause.
The main problem was the manager. She didn't act accordingly to the set of values the organisation was based on, she was grossly overpaid compared to employees, took everything personal, made sure we were cut off from the administrators and created an atmosphere where people feared retribution. We were unionized, but after a few months I realised no one was ever filling complaints (even for trivial matters) because they feared she was going to lash back at them. Turns out she had done it to a few people in the past. Once I figured I wasn't going to stay there much longer, I decided to sign all the complaints I could (according to union I could sign anything I witnessed even if I wasn't the target) and figured I would see them to the end and leave. That way administrators couldn't claim not knowing and there was a chance for my colleague to have a better work environment to do a great job.
So, of course, the next few months were a living hell. She picked on me regularly. Still, most people sided with me (at least privately, most of them fearing she would do the same treatment to them if they declared it publicly). One morning, she calls a staff meeting and explains that a large amount of complaints have been filed in the last months (looks at me) and the cost to settle them or to pay the lawyers to fight them might bankrupt the organisation. She pursues telling that everyone is thus at risk of loosing their job soon (insert ominous music). Panic ensues. My colleagues are crying, they're calling their SO, a lot of people are BEGGING me to take the complaints back stating she learned the lesson, some of them are genuinely pissed at me. IMO it was obviously bullshit made to turn them against me. I mean, the sole emergency housing of a 100k city (annually filled at 115% capacity) would be closing for a dozen complaints where I'm not even asking for money in any form, over legal fees which are usually budgeted in advance? Come on, it's basic fear-brewing schemes.
Normally, I would have questioned it during the meeting or tried to reason with them afterwards. But that time, I decided to comply with the narrative and treat it as true. I left for my break and did what I would have done if we were really closing : appealing to the public outrage to help us fulfilling our mission. I called the news. Told them verbatim the morning announcement, the service hole it would create in the community as “the system” had no place or worry for those we help etc.
The local news picked it up. They called the manager and administrators about running the story, questioning how it could happen, how come there were enough complaints to threaten a 35 year-old pillar of the community service, asking what the complaints were about etc.
Before 4pm that same day, we had another meeting to explain that we must have misunderstood the first meeting, as the organisation was in no way shape or form in danger of closing…. Sure, we must have misunderstood.
Morale of the story : let those who brewed the piss drink it.