Except to say
this: the issue has been raised as to what redress individual artists and arts workers
have when faced with a possible abuse of power situation of any sort. The
complaints procedures within most arts organisations are in reality heavily
biased in favour of those who have power and against those who don’t. They are
often not worth bothering with. The arts sector has hardly any trade union
representation and the artistic world is, sadly, an extremely individualistic
place. In our experience, people don’t tend to stick together. So what is one
to do when faced with power being wielded inappropriately against you in the
arts sector?
Each
situation is different. But we would recommend that artists and arts workers
faced with such a situation consider doing the following: contact a left wing
TD and supply them with details of your case, which you can do in absolute
confidentiality, and ask them to put in a written question to the relevant
government minister about your case. Written questions must be answered and
cannot be waffled around in the way that oral questions asked in the Dáil often
are. https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2019-12-18/?questionType=written
The TD can frame
the question in general terms and supply additional specific details pertaining
to your case to the relevant minister and her or his departmental officials. You
need not be named in the question. When selecting which TD to approach, do not
bother with any of the establishment parties as they will likely not support
you. But most left wing TDs will, even if you do not live in their
constituency. Remember, TDs are national, not local, representatives and are
meant to represent the whole country.
Well
over a decade ago, we briefly worked for a (now defunct) arts organisation
where there were issues regarding late payment of wages, lack of contracts for
employees, and related matters. We left after working there for less than a
year. During the decade that followed, this organisation continued to
intermittently post hostile commentary about us and our work on its official
website and social media. This only stopped when we approached a left wing TD,
supplying them with details, and they put a written question to the relevant
minister. We were invited to meet with top officials in the relevant government
department locally and we supplied them with detailed evidence. The hostile
commentary ceased. The arts organisation in question no longer exists, while we
continue to work happily in the sector.
The approach we took may not suit everyone. But we think it could help many. TDs’ email addresses are available on the Oireachtas website.
The approach we took may not suit everyone. But we think it could help many. TDs’ email addresses are available on the Oireachtas website.
