No action taken by Virgin Mnagement after victimisation by Intructor and another Member

I have reported an incident to the Virgin Active Northgate Manager with very little assistance. The incident happened at the Virgin Active Northgate Gym on the 21 August between 17h30 – 18h00 pm. Our whole family are members of the Virgin, my husband and I are National members. We arrived at the Northgate gym after work yesterday as it is the closest to our home to do some Swim training it was myself and my husband Mark Rondi. We were there to do swim training, on arrival all the lanes were fully occupied there are 6 lanes in total. At that time being peak time, there is always a swim school that takes up 3 lanes and 2 lanes for the public. One of the people who live in our suburb Erica was training in the 4th open lane and my husband and I waiting for a lane and when it came free we shared the end lane lane 6. The pool is constantly busy those times, and being working people that is the only time we can train as it is not safe to leave our children home alone in the mornings. I often share a lane when training there.

We shared a lane for Approximately 25 minutes which is not easy trying to train properly. I was approximately 25 lengths into my train and we were approached by the Aqua instructor Leeanne, of which I could not even hear her as I had ear plugs in. She proceeded to tell us to get out the pool as she has a class starting, we advised her that we had been waiting for a free lane and were sharing a lane and that we were in the midst of training and are paying members so should be more than entitled to the use of the facilities. We proceeded to continue our training. She then called the manager. At this stage a lane had freed up and my husband moved into his own lane. The manager then approached me , I stopped my training yet once again took ear plugs out again…and I told him we in the middle of swim training and that we are paying members and we are still busy with session and that we had been more than fair already and had been sharing a lane already for 25 minutes and that I had just finally got the lane back to complete my session of which he agreed and understood and said I could continue.

While we were talking to the manager the instructor told her students to get in the pool in the lane which I was busy swimming in and to prevent me from training and to block me from using the lane. So whilst I was swimming I was being aggressively blocked particularly by one member telling me I had no right to swim, she was deliberately moving side to side so I could not even swim around her, I was forced to then stand up. I asked her what is she doing and she proceeded to scream and shout at me and push me around telling me get out they are now in the pool. The manner in which she behaved was disgusting to say the least. I find this behaviour completely unacceptable and cannot understand how it can be condoned in the Gym. It was so aggressive that my husband even stopped his swimming to see what was going on and to say do not lay your hands on my wife again. I was literally forced to just get out the pool to avoid further victimisation and attack, whilst the instructor continued to watch on. The instructor knew the manager was speaking to me and she continued to tell her students to just get in, not respectful of others rights or anything, watching her students behave in an attacking manner, pretty sure with her encouragement or they would not have entered the pool knowing someone is busy in the lane as that is normal appropriate behaviour to other members. You are more than welcome to make reference to the video footage. Only after I got out the pool walking to leave the gym, I realised the end lane had in fact become free of which the aqua class could have made use of this lane, which they did not even attempt to do, yet deliberately felt the need to rather disrupt and attack other members.

I am disgusted with the behaviour of the instructor and her students in the class, I find this completely unacceptable and behaviour that should not be condoned in any public environment especially when there are signs up everywhere in the northgate gym saying they do not condone these actions. This type of behaviour should not be tolerated, imagine people arriving daily at the gym, shoving people off treadmills or bicycles cause they feel they are entitled to now train regardless if someone is busy or not!!!

The stand in manager was very nice and even apologized for their behaviour and agreed it was unacceptable the instructor is apparently known for her rude behaviour. I asked for the Northgate Managers cell number immediately and called him to report the incident He advised he would look into the matter and get back to me today.

Well needless to say, I had not heard from Jeofrey and I proceeded to call him at 5pm today to ask him what action had been taken. The feedback received from him was that there is an aqua class that is scheduled regardless of the swim schools utilising 2-3 lanes and that it was basically not the gyms problem come back at a different time as there is a class. His feedback on action taken to date was , they had a discussion with the instructor and suggested the instructor arrive 10 minutes before the class and tell people to move out the lanes!!!!! I responded asking him to confirm so as a paying member I will have no right in the gym to use the facilities provided of which he confirmed is correct and that there is nothing I can do for 45 minutes. He said he would even out it in writing and email it to me. When asking what action had been taken with the member he advised they know the member they will wait for her to attend another aqua class and will have a discussion with her!!!!

I find it shocking the course of action that has been taken....basically none...against the Instructor and the Member, yet it was turned around that I as a member basically must repect their rights and ensure I do not attend that gym at that time!

Just to make it extremely clear, the swim schools are not the problem, they are always polite and even have 4-6 people at a time to free up a lane for the public to use, always showing consideration for all the members. I find the actions of the Virgin Management unacceptable.