7th June 2010, 09:15 AM
I think I am with most of you on this
The survey was trying to see if there were any particular issues relevant to being a female archaeologists. Like others on this forum I found the survey just a little bit biased and certainly skewed towards a certain point of view.
The fundamental issue is employment rights. Things like toilets and protective clothing are enshrined in health and safety law. Equal rights and equal opportunities are also a matter of law. Any obvious discrimination on grounds of gender is breaking employment law. Membership of a union would allow you to directly challenge this.
It is the more subtle elements like being overlooked for promotion or not being given the chances for training or extra responsibility that are perhaps more of a direct issue for women and other groups who have been historically discriminated against. These are very difficult to prove.
The debate on parenting, or should that be carers rights is another issue. One I think should be brought into the open and fought for. It is work life balance that is important we all have or should have a life outside of work and other responsibilities than those of our day jobs.
The ability to perform the day job is enhanced but being able to give our personal lives equal weight. It always surprises me that employers, who I presume are people with lives, seem to resent their employees having any other agenda than work.
As someone who has chosen deliberately not to be a parent I do not resent those who have and feel that they should have the chance of a flexible work life balance that allows them to be good parents. I do not care if this comes at a little extra cost to me
The survey was trying to see if there were any particular issues relevant to being a female archaeologists. Like others on this forum I found the survey just a little bit biased and certainly skewed towards a certain point of view.
The fundamental issue is employment rights. Things like toilets and protective clothing are enshrined in health and safety law. Equal rights and equal opportunities are also a matter of law. Any obvious discrimination on grounds of gender is breaking employment law. Membership of a union would allow you to directly challenge this.
It is the more subtle elements like being overlooked for promotion or not being given the chances for training or extra responsibility that are perhaps more of a direct issue for women and other groups who have been historically discriminated against. These are very difficult to prove.
The debate on parenting, or should that be carers rights is another issue. One I think should be brought into the open and fought for. It is work life balance that is important we all have or should have a life outside of work and other responsibilities than those of our day jobs.
The ability to perform the day job is enhanced but being able to give our personal lives equal weight. It always surprises me that employers, who I presume are people with lives, seem to resent their employees having any other agenda than work.
As someone who has chosen deliberately not to be a parent I do not resent those who have and feel that they should have the chance of a flexible work life balance that allows them to be good parents. I do not care if this comes at a little extra cost to me