BULLYING is behind a dramatic rise in the number of council staff taking legal action against their employer, it has been claimed.

Since March, 21 tribunal claims have been submitted against Waltham Forest Council, compared to just seven in the previous two years.

Only six cases since 2006 have been resolved, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal.

Five of these were settled and one was withdrawn.

Dave Knight, Waltham Forest Unison branch secretary, said: “There is a bullying culture within the council. We have a culture where staff are told by management what to do and if there are any questions then there is trouble.”

Mr Knight said the increases had occurred because the council implemented a cabinet-style system of local government in 2003.

He added: “In the past, the union would be able to meet councillors to discuss staff grievances and councillors would be aware of any problems.

“But now councillors don’t hear about staff grievances or discuss them in meetings.

“When management do meet with staff at hearings, the staff rarely win their appeals and have no option but to go to employment tribunals.”

The figures also show staff submitted grievances 48 times in the 12 months up to March 2007.

Just less than a third of the claims related to bullying, while one in ten alleged race or disability discrimination.

The grievances were upheld in only 16 per cent of cases.

A total of 56 grievances procedures were instigated by staff between April 2005 and March 2006.

Of these, a quarter related to bullying, while one in five allegations focused on sex or race discrimination.

Only 15 per cent of the complaints were upheld and just more than half were rejected during the period.

Mr Knight said: “The council has taken its eye off the ball.

“More and more disabled and ethnic minority staff are making complaints against the management.

“This problem is only going to get worse certainly in the near future.”

He added he was concerned about the low number of grievances being upheld.

Cllr John Macklin, service modernisation cabinet member, told the Guardian: “There are stringent guidelines in place for members of staff – or indeed councillors – to report any issues they feel are appropriate and we actively encourage them to do so.”