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AIBU?

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Original poster

RCN conference moved online

44 replies

Alternista · 28/08/2021 19:04

The Royal College of Nursing has cancelled its annual meeting of members in Liverpool following "serious allegations of sexual harassment".
The union, which has 465,000 members, said the three-day congress in September would now be held online after "independent legal advice".

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58371251

AIBU to be completely confused by this? I honestly can’t fathom what’s gone on. How can an allegation of sexual assault make an entire conference so unsafe as to be cancelled? Surely the accused person would be suspended anyway pending investigation if the allegation were so serious?

What am i missing??

OP posts:
user1471462428 · 28/08/2021 19:09

No idea what that’s about! I hate the RCN though, our local branch are about as much as use a chocolate teapot maybe it’s because they’re all harassing each other.

SeoultoSeoul · 28/08/2021 19:27

What Hmm

Paul72 · 28/08/2021 19:27

I read this on the BBC News web site

The Royal College of Nursing has cancelled its annual meeting of members in Liverpool following "serious allegations of sexual harassment".
The union said the three-day congress in September would now be held online after "independent legal advice".
It said that, "as a matter of urgency" it was reviewing "all safeguarding policies and procedures".
The RCN did not provide any further details of the allegations.
In a statement, the RCN said its elected council "decided the best way to safeguard members attending congress is to move this year's meeting to a fully virtual event".
Carol Popplestone, the council chair, said: "We have acted fast and took a unanimous decision that protects all attendees.
"We know that many members planning to attend were looking forward to seeing each other in person for the first time in two years.
"But this decision was made with members' safety at the top of our minds. That is what we are here to safeguard at all costs.
"I am absolutely determined that congress will still be its usual fascinating mix of debates, events and speeches. Getting together virtually won't stand in the way of that."
The annual gathering was previously planned to be held both in-person in Liverpool and virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic - last year's event did not take place due to restrictions.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58371251

It does not seem to give much information.

Spidey66 · 28/08/2021 19:54

The RCN are seriously shit.

35 years in nursing and I still wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

Original poster
Alternista · 28/08/2021 20:17

I’m just baffled as to what could possibly have happened to make this the outcome.

OP posts:
GCrebel · 28/08/2021 20:19

I agree. Wonder what the real story is.

FOJN · 28/08/2021 20:23

I agree with PP, the RCN are not a good union.

I was a rep about 14 years ago and I was shocked to learn other reps thought trusts could do whatever they liked as long as they had a policy for it, checking the policy against employment law didn't seem to cross their minds.

I hope their internal policy documents are more accurate than their D+I leaflets where they don't even list sex as a protected characteristic.

Piccalino3 · 28/08/2021 20:26

I'm totally baffled by this too!

LincolnshireLassInLondon · 28/08/2021 20:29

I agree, OP. It's so weird that an accusation has made the whole conference be deemed unsafe.

My guess is that it must be something institutional rather than an accusation against a single person. GMB had something similar a while back (though I don't think they cancelled conference as an outcome).

I have worked and been a member of the trade union movement for many years and I think our "Me Too" moment is way overdue.

MoreHairyThanScary · 28/08/2021 20:53

They have already fucked up with the ballot on pay and gave had to resend information. I rejoined but will probably cancel and change union this year.

FusionChefGeoff · 28/08/2021 21:36

It's so odd!! How can an entire confidence be at risk of sexual assault / aggression / harassment?! In fact, surely the best way to do that would be via a virtual hack to suddenly start streaming porn or something?!

How the fuck was the whole event safer as long as people didn't gather?? Was there a clandestine group of delegates who were going to wander the exhibition halls randomly grabbing bottoms and boobs and they couldn't think of a single way to stop them!?

JanglyBeads · 28/08/2021 21:40

I know, all I could think of was that there was a known annual “white slaver” who swooped on the conference.... or something!

aaaaah · 28/08/2021 21:41

Sounds so odd, I'd assumed it was covid when I saw it had been cancelled and moved online

JanglyBeads · 28/08/2021 22:11

It says they consulted lawyers, is it some kind of ultra cautious approach, maybe because someone made a complaint recently about a past incident??

Original poster
Alternista · 28/08/2021 22:15

It’s really annoying me! (Overinvested)

Surely they could have come up with a more plausible press release. This one answers one question and raises twenty!

OP posts:
JanglyBeads · 28/08/2021 22:18

I’m not a HCP or even connected to any, and I’m desperately googling trying to find anything out! It’s so odd.

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 29/08/2021 16:03

nope, can't find any rational explanation for this at all.

I suspect it's related to lascapigliata8.wordpress.com/2021/08/28/nurses-request-that-health-and-nursing-organisations-withdraw-from-stonewalls-diversity-championship-scheme/ this open letter and "safety" is a coverall word.

Who's safety? If there is a sexual predator booked to come to conference then report them to the police and suspend them from the RCN.

It's all very odd.

SpittinKitten · 29/08/2021 16:25

The guardian has a little bit more info, sort of...

www.theguardian.com/global/2021/aug/29/royal-college-of-nursing-congress-moves-virtual-sexual-harassment-claims
.
"Popplestone took over the RCN’s governing body after complaints were made against her predecessor David Dawes.

The RCN said it was taking the complaint “extremely seriously”, adding: “An independent external investigation will now take place and Dave Dawes has announced he will voluntarily step down from his role as chair of RCN Council.”

It was unclear whether the two investigations were linked. The RCN said it could not provide further details about the allegations at this point."

Anyone else think that the wording of the headline on both the Guardian and BBC stories as "sex harassment" instead of "sexual harassment" is a bit..... weird?

MrsOvertonsWindow · 30/08/2021 08:28

The Times has reported that the suspension is because of "hostility to women". Apparently Dave Dawes is a "bondage expert" who runs courses on bondage with a social media account that includes "sexual references" and further allegations of sexual harassment have been made against him, Share token for the article (not sure if this will work):

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/9c075b72-08e8-11ec-922b-9339a9da8961?shareToken=df69083c527dd1091c3a764c551c2c7a

Original poster
Alternista · 30/08/2021 11:30

Still confused tbh. I guess we will be till the full story comes out.

I think someone should be able to be into BDSM in their private life, as long as its consensual, legal and kept separate from your professional life.

I think anyone being hostile or discriminatory in the workplace (whether in the basis of sex, race, age, disability or anything else) should be taken through the full disciplinary process of their workplace, right up to dismissal if needed. Zero tolerance.

I still can’t fathom how that means an entire conference needs to be taken online to safeguard attendees.

Maybe one day we’ll find out…

OP posts:
IheartJKR · 30/08/2021 11:37

I am absolutely baffled by this. I’m really hoping someone here can explain it to me.

IheartJKR · 30/08/2021 11:40

@MrsOvertonsWindow

Thanks for that link. So if he’s suspended he can’t go to the conference. Right?

Why cancel it?

KaycePollard · 30/08/2021 12:34

Who's safety? If there is a sexual predator booked to come to conference then report them to the police and suspend them from the RCN.

I suspect the predator is alleged to be the CEO of the organisation itself.

Awks

MrsOvertonsWindow · 30/08/2021 13:44

I can see why people are confused about the cancellation. I am also Shock that someone with an open bondage fetish has been appointed to such a position in a role overseeing caring for the vulnerable. Someone who works with people who are vulnerable, incapacitated, usually undressed and often fearful must surely understand this?

Imagine leaving your unconscious teenage son or daughter in the care of someone who openly celebrates bondage? Who has so little understanding of boundaries that they mix their personal sexual interests with their professional life?

If they fail to understand the meaning of private and boundaries, then does this apply to their work as well?