UNISON has accused Staffordshire County Council of failing to tackle poor workplace culture today, three years after “excessive micromanagement” led to a worker’s suicide.

Private negotiations have been ongoing between management and workers’ representatives since 2015, when employee Rosemary Corden committed suicide.

A note found on Ms Corden’s body mentioned a “brutal” staff meeting in which she was personally attacked.

It also mentioned that managers bullied her for buying flowers for an upset work colleague, telling her to “stop trying to buy friends.”

The incident led to the coroner expressing “shock” at the “excessive micromanagement” of Ms Corden, and the “insensitivity” of the council.

However, the union has now said the council is unwilling to take staff concerns seriously after refusing to deal with “legitimate” whistleblowing complaints from workers about management practices.

The letter said: “It is the failure of Staffordshire County Council to address legitimate whistleblowing complaints and the concerns of the recognised trade unions that have put your jobs and terms and conditions at risk and have condoned your workplace as being an unsafe and unhealthy environment in which to work.”

Union officials have also accused council leaders of keeping employees in the dark over future redundancies, and of misleading employees about the impending cuts to the council’s children’s services.

School crossing patrols and grass cutting services are set to be reduced as the council attempts to fill a £35 million funding hole, and other front-line services are expected to be hit.

However, despite Unison’s vocal opposition to the cuts, the union believes that the council is encouraging workers to believe that Unison is to blame.

The letter states: “Our members believe uncertainty around their future/potential redundancies are the fault of Unison. This simply is not true.

“Unison has not, contrary to what members are being told, stepped away and not represented our members’ best interests.”

Staffordshire County Council leader Philip Atkins said: “We are aware a letter was sent to union members several weeks ago and, as always, we have been dealing directly with Unison leadership to try and resolve any issues on both sides as they arise.”