Sara Morrison vs Belfast Film Festival

[NorthernIrishFeminist]

Employers seem to be slow learners when it comes to women's rights! There’s another employment tribunal case being brought by a woman who attended and took the microphone at a Let Women Speak event in Belfast last year and has been treated very badly by her employer Belfast Film Festival as a result.

Looks like we’re going to have to keep gardening until they get the message.

disclaimer. I don’t know Sara and have no connection to BFF I’m just a woman who likes donating to causes that make a difference

Oh it's been back for a while.

You ok @MyrtleLion ?

I'm making a mental list of larger than life characters. I've got to about 25 entries, Sarah Palin isn't on it yet

All of the above, and very very revealing of the kind of atmosphere SM was up against in her workplace.
It reminded me of Jo Phoenix's case - didn't some of her colleagues liken her to an embarrassingly racist uncle at a family get-together or something like that?
How can you work in a place surrounded by opinions like that?

From NW

[we are back in session] [NC takes her to MD's WS where it says she was trying to understand SM's position] NC SM was trying to tell you her position with an example MD "I was disturbed because she spoke about my daughter" NC it was a distressing image MD "I was disturbed because she was talking about my child" NC in being angry with SM for spelling out that that's where the claim TWAW leads - you're shooting the messenger MD whose angry? NC you criticised SM for taking you to where that belief system leads - you're angry at her - you're shooting the messenger MD I don't accept that NC by asking SM if she'd be happy doing a trans film with Kabosh, you're putting her to the test aren't you MD I don't accept that whatsoever

NC from 16 April to 4 May you did not alert the board to what SM had said at LWS MD they're all volunteers - I try to avoid contacting them outside board meetings NC why not put it on the agenda MD didn't have time NC no intention to raise it under AOB MD no I was v busy
MD I didn't have enough time to think it through. We're a tiny organisation. At that time of the year I'm doing three people's jobs and I was under a tremendous amount of strain.
NC "and the board are busy people with their own lievs and volunteers so it would be fair to raise this with them between board meetings"
MD "I would have been reluctant to do that"

Still going strong

https://nitter.net/nickwallis

MD I didn't have enough time to think it through. We're a tiny organisation. At that time of the year I'm doing three people's jobs and I was under a tremendous amount of strain. NC "and the board are busy people with their own lievs and volunteers so it would be fair to raise this with them between board meetings" MD "I would have been reluctant to do that"
NC when would the next board meeting have been
MD after Docs Ireland
J asks for dates -
MD end of june - we normally have quarterly board meetings
NC so next one would have been August
MD but after Lucy raised the issue we would have had to have an emergency board meeting

NC so in run up to 4 May did you know there was an emergency board meeting
MD no - it was only when Lucy (Baxter, I think, BFF board meeting) brought up all the other stuff I think we needed it
NC This is puzzling isn't it?
MD no it's not...
NC let me finish...so was this so bad it needed to be dealt with or was it of no importance hence it didn't go to the board?
MD "I was planning to put it in writing to the chairs as a first step"
NC what happened is that Lucy Baxter took the matter out your hands and raised it at the board meeting
MD yes
NC and it was dealt with briefly under AoB
MD yes
NC and when the minutes were circulated they helpfully had a link to SM's speech
MD yes
NC was that you or Moyra Lock
MD probably Moyra
NC and you authored that note from you - note from MD
MD yes
NC and after the meeting you had a conversation with Lucy Baxter - and on 5 May you put a note to the co-chairs in a bit more detail than was discussed at the board meeting - "In your capacity as Chair(s) I wanted to inform you both of an issue that came up a few weeks ago.
I managed the initial fall out from it and then parked it until I could get some headspace, specifically
get the Docs Ireland Programme finalised and away to the printer."

NC you're being defensive here aren't you for not telling them sooner
MD no -
NC you go on to say "Yesterday at the board meeting Lucy Baxter mentioned it to me, that a few people she knew had
asked her "what is going on that a BFF employee is speaking at this anti-trans, right wing event (Lucy
was very late and I updated her on zoom once everyone else had left the meeting which is why the
rest of the board missed this conversation)."
NC there's no note of this, is there. as to whether that's what she actually said
MD as far as I'm aware
NC you don't recall her saying that there were BFF partner orgs who were talking to her - there's nothing in the end of board meeting note, is there?
MD "there's nothing there but... that's correct, there's nothing there."
NC in par 13 of your WS you say "I was a little frustrated that
Lucy hadn’t rang or emailed me in advance to discuss this, as I would have then put it
on the agenda for that meeting. I was very busy at that time and my key focus was
the successful delivery of the Docs Ireland festival."

NC annoyed with lucy? MD no just frustrated that she had a little bit more information than I had NC you say you will go to the Equality Commission for advice - and you did? MD yes I rang them
NC who did you speak to at the EC -
MD I think it might have been one of their solicitors
J no privileged legal advice
NC but we need to establish who she spoke to and in what capacity - if it was in a lawyer client relationship we won't go any further, but initial contact...
... is not privileged.
J just to advise you that you do not disclose the legal advice
MD okay
SD I don't agree with NC's view on the narrow view of legal professional privilege, which is why we are happy for it to be unredacted
NC how did you speak to the EC
MD looked up online..

... and made a phone call. Second time had a short convo NC who was it MD don't remember the name, but could tell you if I looked at their website NC was there any other contact between you MD no NC so no client care letter came out to you from the solicitor MD no I don't think so
NC what made you say that you thought it was a solicitor you spoke to
MD I think I recognised his name as a solicitor I'd heard of before - I'd need to look it up
NC he didn't say "I'm a solicitor" or anything of the sort
MD I can't recall
NC It's clear this was not a lawyer/client relationship
MD he did use legal phraseology and the sort of things lawyers use
NC did you pay any money
MD no
NC so do you think a lawyer/client relationship was set up in the course of this conversation
MD I don't know
NC I am going to suggest there is no possible legal privilege here - I think it's legitimate to ask questions about the content of this advice

J SD? SD I do object J when people phone the EC - it's difficult - speaking broadly - it could be a solicitor and it would be unusual for it not to be - she could well have been talking to a solicitor but as SD is not obecting [???] NC my first point would be that even if MD were speaking to a lawyer that does not give it privilege unless there was a lawyer/client relationship in place, but I would say that SD has waived privilege so we must be able to enquire further.
[the now non LPP's lines were: "This advice has a number of implications for us, these are basically around the balance of rights as employers and rights of employees"] NC how long was the call MD short - a matter of minutes NC what are the implications MD just as it says
[MD does not have the unredacted sentence in front of her so NC says we'll come back to it after lunch]

NC on 25 May you get a WhatsApp from MC "Hi Michele. Have tried to find
the video of the Trans rally
that Sarah spoke at. Was it
the Let Women Speak event,
at which Parker Posey spoke
and Graham Lenehan
attended? If so this is more
serious than I thought. I
would like to email the chairs"

NC so this is the point MC became aware of SMs participation in the LWS event
SD that's q for MC
[MD says MC was outgoing chair and Marie-Therese and Lisa Barros D'sa were incoming co-chairs]
NC on 25 May MC writes to MTM and LBD cc-ing MD and says: "hope yous are well and have got a bit of sunshine!
I'm writing about the Let Women Speak rally in Belfast.
Michele kindly briefed me, and I've seen correspondence between you all, which looks
great and I can see how seriously you're taking this.
I tried to find the footage of our staff member's speech, but haven't. However, I saw a
report of a rally in Belfast at which Parker Posey spoke. I'm sure you're aware of Posey's
i previous comments, but if our staff member shared a platform with her, then this is even
I more serious than I thought.
As a board member I'd like to back you in whatever investigation or process is happening. I
know the staff member in question has a personal family story here - and I like her a lot -
but the principle is clear. Cultural festivals are, amongst other things, acts of solidarity
I with our fellow citizens, especially those whose rights are still contested.
I Obviously we can't control the thoughts of our staff but we can express love rather than
i something much more negative.
I Forgive me for saying the obvious, but I just wanted to tell you my thoughts.
I'll be in Belfast more often in the next few weeks (to make fish pie for my sick mum) and
would enjoy a chat, if you have time.
All best wishes,
i Mark"

NC how did you brief MC?
MD probably asked him to just watch the video
NC sorry, how did you brief him technically?
MD by phone
NC did you take any notes
MD don't recall

[NC says something has come unstuck in her note and all agree we should stop for lunch until 2.15pm]

Was it the Let Women Speak event,
at which Parker Posey spoke and Graham Lenehan
attended? If so this is more serious than I thought

Get the kindling and the firelighters out, it was PP and GL!

We’re at lunch until 2.15pm

MD comes across as angry, defensive and dismissive.

She was walking along with NC and like a horse ahead bucked when she realised where she was headed.

She wasn’t animated about this until the board got upset because their friends were upset.

Queue the witchhunt.

NC is more magnificent than I imagine. Like an orchestra conductor. Playing each line, each piece into a beautiful chorus.

@MyrtleLion hope you're ok x

Brilliant! Thanks for the update!

So wish I was there!

What an extraordinary message - warm and caring and expressing concern and love for SM, but so clear about it being wrong wrong wrong to be/speak at LWS-

.. I like her a lot -
but the principle is clear. Cultural festivals are, amongst other things, acts of solidarity with our fellow citizens, especially those whose rights are still contested.

The rights of people to believe in biology is still very contested, as this case demonstrates!

To add to that previous post - it shows that even if they loved SM to bits and thought she was the loveliest person ever to walk this earth, she could never be acceptable in the BFF because she does not believe TWAW.
She would be called names behind her back, she would be subjected to online abuse from 'partner organisations', the BFF wouldn't trust her to interact with other groups...
Just being GC was enough to make her job there impossible.

NC was quite right about shooting the messenger re safeguarding. MDs reaction in court to the questions about it demonstrated that clearly.

Indeed, as I’ve said before, that’s why the hangers on get so very angry when forced to confront the reality of their own views.

Apologies. An urgent family situation has arisen so I can't continue pasting for the time being.

Take care Myrtle❤