Until today's headline on sexual harassment in the workplace published by the TUC, we might have been forgiven for thinking that such behaviour was a thing of the past. Not so.
Harassment of any kind is just another form of the bullying which has destroyed the school years of many a child. That it progresses to being of an overt sexual nature in the adult workplace is a damning indictment of just how far our society needs to go. But as with all such behaviours, it is sadly very difficult for the victim to fight back. Thus, the cycle of inequality is perpetuated. But it is only perpetuated by those who would seek to take advantage thus abusing their positions of "power".
During the recent EU referendum debate, we heard endless arguments relating to workers' rights and the need to stay in the EU with it's more fair approach to employment law. Such arguments though failed to adequately acknowledge the painful truth; more than ever, we find ourselves resident in a predominantly malevolent society. To follow the stereotype, the boss is a bloke and thus has the right to behave in certain ways. He is also paid more although it is often unclear why. Stereotype it may be the the truth remains disturbingly close in this instance.
But is it just the domain of the smaller company with just a handful of employees or is such behaviour still all too familiar in large employers such as the public sector? Before seeking to answer that, it is instructive to consider the findings of the TUC report.
It is astonishing to be writing this in 2016 but more than half of women claim they have been sexually harassed at work. Due to the numerous physical and intangible barriers in front of them, very few choose to take the matter any further. This, of course, plays right in to the hands of the perpetrators. Granted, their very livelihoods are arguably on the line should they choose to complain. But in 2016, it is galling to consider the reality of that.
Nine out of every ten cases reported cite a male culprit. So while women are also capable of such unacceptable behaviour, it sadly remains very much the domain of the male. One in five women who reported such behaviour cited their direct line manager as the offender. Unsurprisingly perhaps, it is mainly the 18 to 24 year old women who are most vulnerable to such practice. Victims in this age group refer to the fear of compromising their employment or their job prospects. As such, many don't even report it and this neanderthal behaviour goes unchallenged.
But abuse of power is not restricted to sexual harassment. Sometimes, when power goes unchallenged for too long, the senior managers begin to lose touch with reality. In Denbighshire this week, another classic story of corporate detachment emerged which once again brought in to focus the stark reality of a local council whose power seems to preclude it from abiding by it's own policies.
When Denbighshire County Council announced it's intention to close the primary school in Pentrecelyn, the affected community reacted with understandable outrage. Pentrecelyn primary school is a category 1 Welsh medium primary school. The plan was to close it and amalgamate it with a nearby primary school with a resultant dilution of Welsh language provision. Putting aside the obvious fact that children from Pentrecelyn are Welsh (by culture and language), this plan went against DCC's own policy. In line with the stated aims of the Welsh Assembly Government, DCC had already signed up to a policy which sought to protect and nurture category 1 Welsh language education. That is why a small army of families, teachers and locals joined forces to take this matter to court. At no surprise to themselves or any other rational person in Denbighshire, the court found in their favour and delivered a damning verdict on DCC's handling of the whole affair.
But sadly, this is not even new in Denbighshire. At nearby Llanbedr, their Church in Wales primary school was similarly threatened. Once again, parents, families and the local community joined forces and took the matter to court. At the time of writing, they are expecting a decision from the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff having twice previously won legal cases against DCC. So what is it that is driving this corporate arrogance? It is clear that DCC has an agenda to close these two highly valued community primary schools but it is equally clear from various court cases that their motives are not legitimate. So why do they continue to pursue outcomes which court cases have dismissed?
Harassment takes many forms and although I began this piece by alluding to sexual harassment in the workplace, it is clear that the families and friends in the communities of Llanbedr and Pentrecleyn have also been harassed. So let us turn this all of this on it's head and look at it from the opposite perspective.
Having been put through the unnecessary trauma of court cases several times over and each time been vindicated, have these communities now got a case of their own? Just as the sexually harassed employee ought to be taking her case further to put an end to such behaviour, by the same token the communities of Llanbedr and Pentrecelyn should be pressing for accountability from those who seek to close their vital schools. As with the TUC survey which reports such poor rates of bringing sexual harassment to book, it is arguable that corporations such as DCC have for too long been allowed to operate free of accountability to the very people who pay the council tax which sustains their unacceptable behaviour. The time for change has seldom been more pressing and people deserve much better be they employees in the workplace or close knit village communities.
Harassment of any kind is just another form of the bullying which has destroyed the school years of many a child. That it progresses to being of an overt sexual nature in the adult workplace is a damning indictment of just how far our society needs to go. But as with all such behaviours, it is sadly very difficult for the victim to fight back. Thus, the cycle of inequality is perpetuated. But it is only perpetuated by those who would seek to take advantage thus abusing their positions of "power".
During the recent EU referendum debate, we heard endless arguments relating to workers' rights and the need to stay in the EU with it's more fair approach to employment law. Such arguments though failed to adequately acknowledge the painful truth; more than ever, we find ourselves resident in a predominantly malevolent society. To follow the stereotype, the boss is a bloke and thus has the right to behave in certain ways. He is also paid more although it is often unclear why. Stereotype it may be the the truth remains disturbingly close in this instance.
But is it just the domain of the smaller company with just a handful of employees or is such behaviour still all too familiar in large employers such as the public sector? Before seeking to answer that, it is instructive to consider the findings of the TUC report.
It is astonishing to be writing this in 2016 but more than half of women claim they have been sexually harassed at work. Due to the numerous physical and intangible barriers in front of them, very few choose to take the matter any further. This, of course, plays right in to the hands of the perpetrators. Granted, their very livelihoods are arguably on the line should they choose to complain. But in 2016, it is galling to consider the reality of that.
Nine out of every ten cases reported cite a male culprit. So while women are also capable of such unacceptable behaviour, it sadly remains very much the domain of the male. One in five women who reported such behaviour cited their direct line manager as the offender. Unsurprisingly perhaps, it is mainly the 18 to 24 year old women who are most vulnerable to such practice. Victims in this age group refer to the fear of compromising their employment or their job prospects. As such, many don't even report it and this neanderthal behaviour goes unchallenged.
But abuse of power is not restricted to sexual harassment. Sometimes, when power goes unchallenged for too long, the senior managers begin to lose touch with reality. In Denbighshire this week, another classic story of corporate detachment emerged which once again brought in to focus the stark reality of a local council whose power seems to preclude it from abiding by it's own policies.
When Denbighshire County Council announced it's intention to close the primary school in Pentrecelyn, the affected community reacted with understandable outrage. Pentrecelyn primary school is a category 1 Welsh medium primary school. The plan was to close it and amalgamate it with a nearby primary school with a resultant dilution of Welsh language provision. Putting aside the obvious fact that children from Pentrecelyn are Welsh (by culture and language), this plan went against DCC's own policy. In line with the stated aims of the Welsh Assembly Government, DCC had already signed up to a policy which sought to protect and nurture category 1 Welsh language education. That is why a small army of families, teachers and locals joined forces to take this matter to court. At no surprise to themselves or any other rational person in Denbighshire, the court found in their favour and delivered a damning verdict on DCC's handling of the whole affair.
But sadly, this is not even new in Denbighshire. At nearby Llanbedr, their Church in Wales primary school was similarly threatened. Once again, parents, families and the local community joined forces and took the matter to court. At the time of writing, they are expecting a decision from the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff having twice previously won legal cases against DCC. So what is it that is driving this corporate arrogance? It is clear that DCC has an agenda to close these two highly valued community primary schools but it is equally clear from various court cases that their motives are not legitimate. So why do they continue to pursue outcomes which court cases have dismissed?
Harassment takes many forms and although I began this piece by alluding to sexual harassment in the workplace, it is clear that the families and friends in the communities of Llanbedr and Pentrecleyn have also been harassed. So let us turn this all of this on it's head and look at it from the opposite perspective.
Having been put through the unnecessary trauma of court cases several times over and each time been vindicated, have these communities now got a case of their own? Just as the sexually harassed employee ought to be taking her case further to put an end to such behaviour, by the same token the communities of Llanbedr and Pentrecelyn should be pressing for accountability from those who seek to close their vital schools. As with the TUC survey which reports such poor rates of bringing sexual harassment to book, it is arguable that corporations such as DCC have for too long been allowed to operate free of accountability to the very people who pay the council tax which sustains their unacceptable behaviour. The time for change has seldom been more pressing and people deserve much better be they employees in the workplace or close knit village communities.
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