My lab has been turning into a nightmare by the arrival of a post doc. When she started she appeared all meek and mild but as she was given more responsibility the power seemed to go to her head. She became extremely bossy, rude and arrogant. She tries to turn very small things into raging arguments to make us PhD students look like idiots in front of our supervisor. To make things worse she has taken to gossiping with my supervisor about us, telling half truths and in some instances making things up so that she will appear more favorable. I have discussed the problem with my supervisor but he just makes excuses for her or sides with her.
I'm don't know how to handle the situation, I'm getting to the point when I don't even want to come into the lab, surely this constitutes bullying?

I think the best way for you to sort this out is if ALL of the PhD students get together and confront this postdoc. If that doesnt work, you will have to ALL try talking to someone higher up.

It needs to be sorted out fast as it already seems to be affecting you wanting to go in.

I haven't been in this situation but I really feel for you - I reckon your supervisor is likely to keep defending the postdoc regardless of what you humble PhD students think. Sorry to be so negative, but I really do think that postdocs are treated as our superiors, not only in terms of knowledge, but in many other ways. When I saw the title of your post I hoped your postdoc's contract was about to run out - that's the kind of hope I look for - but they've only just arrived! Maybe you should stage a walkout (all PhD students) - tell your supervisor it's you or the postdoc!!

One more thing - I think the fact that your supervisor's male and the postdoc is female is to your disadvantage...

you can make a complaint with your supervisors boss or head of department.

Yes but surely they cant get rid of ALL the phd students?

I don't think that staging a walkout is the answer, as this makes the whole lot of you look childish.

Get together, write down all the things she has done or said (no matter how small) and then approach your supervisor as a group (maybe just 2 or 3 of you) and see what he says then. If he doesn't act on it, take the same group and notes to the head of department.

make it clear that your life is getting intolerable, and that not coming into the lab is something you are considering. If they believe that you are really miserable, then they are more likely to act.

If nothing happens, THEN i think you should just simply email your supervisor saying that nothing has improved and that you will no longer come into uni until the situation changes.

Or you could just start being nasty to her, i mean really nasty, make personnal insults at her (is she fat or ugly? or maybe she has a really fat backside?) and just make her so-far cushy life a misery. These types of people just need someone to stand up to them

Stu, I can't believe that you suggest that staging a walk-out is childish and then go to suggest that they start making personal and offensive comments to the Post-doc???!!!!! Frankly, I think that that would be the worst thing they could possibly do and could land them all in very hot water.

I agree with H, the first thing that you should do is to speak to the Post-doc in private and on your own. Calmly explain how you are feeling, stick to the facts and try not to be confrontational. She may be completely oblivious about the effect she is having. This may be all the action you need to take. If it doesn't work then I suggest you approach your supervisor again. In all cases, keep the arguement professional and stick to the facts.

BTW, I agree with H in so far that you should talk to the Post-doc first before approaching anyone else. However, I think a one on one approach is better in the first instance. If a whole gang of you trap her in an office and start ranting at her, then that's going to be very intimidating for her. If she complains to her boss then the sympathy will lie with her even if you do have genuine cause for complaint.

you could all wait outside near her car, and give her a good beating, that might work

dont u have a lab manager that you could talk to?

I know that there is safety in numbers, but surely the softly softly approach is always worth trying first? If something can be sorted out by someone having a quiet word with the person concerned then that's far better (for everyone) than having to drag it through the offical process. Obviously, sometimes you have to do things by the book but it's surely always worth trying to resolve things amicably in the first instance?

I was kind of joking about the walkout... but I don't think 'it's me or the postdoc' is so unreasonable. Maybe not so extreme as that, but SOMETHING needs to change, if it doesn't you might leave - your supervisor will have (maybe inadvertently) chosen the postdoc.

Hi Neil, how are you getting on?

Glad to hear at least one good positive thing in your life! I'm sure you will get there with the mutants, after all that hard work, how can you not!

My PhD is going well, have settled in etc and kinda know what I'm doing at last!:D