The Public Sector Executive Union recently conducted research amongst members regarding their experiences in the workplace of lgbt issues. (Sunday Tribune article) The survey was aimed at lgbt members but other members also completed it. The initiative was led by the Union President Fiona Lee and Deputy General Secretary Billy Hannigan and funded by EU funding under an EU challenge fund. The response rate was low at 165 but has been pointed to as indicative of a culture withing the service of reluctance to discuss the issues.
I’ve located the results on the PSEU website
42% of respondents indicated that they had experienced discrimination and 32% had been verbally abused. No respondent had accessed the assistance of the Equality Authority or a solicitor in addressing the discrimination. When asked what their employer could do to improve the situation, many wanted increased dsicusion and visibilty on lgbt issues, but the majority wanted the same entitlements as everybody else.
It is the one thing I’ve heard over and over again from people I’ve spoken to who are civil servants: the forced payments into spouses and children’s funds and no payouts to the ‘spouses’ and children of lgbt employees. This situation will change upon the enactment of the Civil Partnership legislation but it has long been a bugbear and non biological children will be excluded from the new scheme given there is no recognition in the legislation.
Respondents were asked to describe negative experiences they had because they were lgbt or perceived to be lgbt. There were 35 responses (Page 10 &11) including:
My line manager went on a tirade, comparing gay people to paedophiles. It was extremely upsetting, and no action was taken despite bringing it to the attention of a more senior manager.
The view was that the manager in question had strong religious beliefs, and rather than discipline him, we should be more careful in what we discuss. The implication was that the responsibility was on the staff to “not upset” the line manager in question. I was not comfortable in telling the senior manager that I am LGBT, based on that response.
Another said
My immediate superior in my previous Dept told me that gay people were animals and they had no right to life, let alone any other rights.
Another reply
Jeering of LGBT staff. Crude jokes about LGBT people by Line Managers, as supposed humour. Slagging of people, if they are successful and unmarried comments that they must be gay or lesbian, and all they need are ……..(decent prohibits me from continuing)
The overall impression from reading the results and responses is that people just want to be treated the same as everyone else, not have to watch what they say and receive support from colleagues and management should they need to not only in action but also in atmosphere. The majority don’t believe sexual orientation has any impact on promotion or other opportunities which is positive to hear, however there is a lack of knowledge of equality policies in the workplace.
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That was a very interesting read – the report from the PSEU, but this is far from being a public sector issue only. This is everywhere and I wonder when people’s attitudes will change. I think that this report should be circulated to everyone, so people might think twice before ‘joking’ and ‘commenting’ on what they believe to be their business. But also, the departments and companies need to show how all people are treated equally on issues like pension, annual leave etc.
The reccomendations are very wide ranging and quite interesting
At this time of night, I simply stopped reading at page 11, as it’s just too awful to take in. The core of the problem seems to be institutionalised homophobia in the workplace, where civil servants can (in the “privacy” of their offices, not in the public domain) get away with their utterances about gays. My impression (tho’ I’m open to correction) is that this is about keeping men straight and the culture of the workplace reinforces difficulties in coming out and being open in the workplace. Underlying the issue, it seems to me might be issues relating the health and well-being of LGBT peeps in the workplace. As this survey was conducted in government institutions/workplaces, it is nothing but appalling to find the attitudes of neaderthal man!
It also, to my mind, shows the limits to the focus on ‘policy’ (a wider problem for governance in Ireland generally, but let’s not go there for the minute). It is not enough to “have” a policy if it is not operationalised/implemented. Simply put, all these innovative equality policies are a nought without the force of law and leadership on one hand, and people being confident enough as citizens (see sexual citizenship!) to complain. A key statistic I noted is about 60% weren’t out at work, now that just tires me, but it does raise more questions for me. Will read the rest of the interesting report…
Thanks for that Suzy-Just looking at the report quickly there is a question on page 15- on if you are treated unfairly at work due to your sexuality where would you go for assistance-What stands out is that no one makes reference to the Equality Authority-and as you highlight there is an overall lack of awareness on equality policies. This is something the Equality authority need to look and question how effective they are in highlighting their role and providing awareness on the 9 grounds. Also more generally do departments providing diversity training to civil servants?
Poor oul’ GLEN doesn’t come out of it too well. I think it is the only lgbt organisation to be named in the “write-in” responses, and on both occasions it is critical (one is extremely critical).
Great post, MP, thanks for drawing attention to it.
Re. the CP Bill – do you know if the enactment of the Bill will automatically make changes to the compulsory spouse/children contributions, etc., or do those changes take effect only for those who are “civilly parntered”?
(Must see if I can decipher!)
I’m not sure if there is anything in the bill or if it’s a statutory instrument or finance bill clause that will be needed. When is the finance bill going to be published I wonder?
I have followed the matter of Civil Service pension reform over the years and blogged about it here there are links to reports and circulars in that post. I don’t know (and somehow doubt) if cohabitants are going to be covered.
Maman Poulet » Just a few words // Mar 29, 2010 at 23:04
[...] I will be interested in how the guidelines will be adopted in the non US multi-nationals, public sector and the SME sector – Many of multi-nationals for 15 plus years have had non discrimination policies in operation but I know a lot of LGBT workers believe that more than a decade of equality legislation in Ireland has not permeated enough attitudes in work places. (See post on PSEU research on the matter.) [...]
LGBT Pride: 2009-2010 in Review - Human Rights in Ireland // Jun 25, 2010 at 09:41
[...] BeLonGTo), people routinely suffer LGBT harassment and bullying in the workplace (see for exqmple this excellent post on MamanPoulet about research on LGBT experiences working in the civil service), gaybashing and [...]