Allegations of harassment on film and television sets in Wales
Allegations of bullying and improper conduct on film and television sets in Wales have been brought before a Senedd inquiry.
One individual providing testimony stated they couldn’t keep track of how often they witnessed instances of verbal abuse on set.
Others informed the culture committee about the presence of ‘toxic behaviour’ within the workforce.
Chair of the committee, Plaid Cymru’s Delyth Jewell, asserted that it was ‘unacceptable for workers to endure bullying behaviour in the workplace’.
The committee, which delved into the challenges faced by the creative industry workforce in Wales, heard: ‘I’ve lost count of the times I’ve witnessed people being verbally abused on set.’
The interviewee, who remained anonymous in the report, added: ‘The egos of directors are a significant issue, and I must be honest, it doesn’t create a pleasant working environment. From what I gather, it’s likely a common occurrence in the industry.’
Other individuals, also unnamed, conveyed that there was a lack of clarity on how to report improper conduct and a deficiency in the human resources framework.
They also portrayed a scenario where artistic directors wielded excessive influence, making it challenging for freelance workers to report issues within a tightly connected industry.
In the inquiry’s findings, the trade union BECTU referred to a ‘culture of fear’ that hindered victims of bullying and harassment from stepping forward, out of concern of being labelled a troublemaker.
The union highlighted that productions suffer from ‘under-resourced’ human resources provisions, particularly since they tend to last for only around ten months, leading to an attitude of hoping that ‘the matter won’t resurface’ when problems arise.
Ms. Jewell emphasised that it was ‘inadmissible for workers to be subjected to bullying behaviour in the workplace, a space that should provide them with a sense of safety’.
‘We are committed to ensuring that all those involved in the creative industries in Wales can do so without the fear of bias, bullying, or discrimination,’ she declared.
The culture committee noted that broadcasters claimed to have established processes and guidelines to address improper conduct.
The Welsh government stated: ‘We will review the report and provide a response to the committee.
