Getting the balance right: gender equality in journalism; 2009 - Fokus
Getting the balance right: gender equality in journalism; 2009 - Fokus
Getting the balance right: gender equality in journalism; 2009 - Fokus
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acceptable behaviour at work, and to <strong>in</strong>troduce clear procedures todeal with compla<strong>in</strong>ts and discipl<strong>in</strong>ary action. The procedures mustbe carefully drawn up to protect <strong>the</strong> victim as well as <strong>the</strong> <strong>right</strong>s of <strong>the</strong>accused. Workshops on bully<strong>in</strong>g and harassment <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> work placecan be very effective <strong>in</strong> rais<strong>in</strong>g awareness of <strong>the</strong> problem among yourcolleagues and encourag<strong>in</strong>g victims to take measures to confront andresolve <strong>the</strong> situation before it is necessary to resort to formal procedures.Sexual harassment is often difficult to raise and to prove. Do not feelguilty, do not ignore <strong>the</strong> problem and keep records of when, where andhow harassment occurs. Try to enlist <strong>the</strong> help of witnesses, get supportfrom colleagues and friends, who may also have been victims. Speakto your union representative for advice if you need to file a compla<strong>in</strong>t.EQUAL PAY CASE STUDY UK and IrelandThe National Union of Journalists <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK and Ireland (NUJ) has long foughtfor <strong>the</strong> <strong>right</strong> to equal pay. Indeed <strong>the</strong> first equal pay case was won <strong>in</strong> 1918 whenwomen journalists work<strong>in</strong>g on national newspapers <strong>in</strong> London won pay parity with<strong>the</strong>ir male colleagues. Unfortunately even <strong>in</strong> <strong>2009</strong> <strong>the</strong> national equal pay gap is stillaround 17%. The union recently set up a campaign, via <strong>the</strong> union website (www.nuj.org.uk) to highlight equal pay successes and to encourage members to takeup <strong>the</strong> issue <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir own workplaces. The website pages conta<strong>in</strong> a comb<strong>in</strong>ation ofsuccess stories, practical <strong>in</strong>formation and activity suggestions, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g an equalpay tool kit, which aims to persuade members who feel <strong>the</strong>y have an equal payclaim to raise <strong>the</strong>se with <strong>the</strong>ir managements and union colleagues and to provideunion representatives with <strong>the</strong> arguments to put to <strong>the</strong>ir managements.Amongst <strong>the</strong> practical <strong>in</strong>formation and suggestions <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> web campaignon equal pay, also <strong>in</strong>clude a short questionnaire designed for workplacerepresentatives to use to obta<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation from members about <strong>the</strong>ir pay andwhe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y are suspicious that <strong>the</strong>y are a victim of <strong>the</strong> equal pay gap. This wassuccessfully used by union members at <strong>the</strong> Independent newspaper. More than 30responses were received which <strong>the</strong> union has analysed to identify pay disparities.Lena Calvert, Equality officer, NUJGENDER EQUALITY IN JOURNALISM9