We, the employees of Tyneside Cinema, do not support the statement offered by Holli Keeble (CEO) and Lucy Armstrong (Chair of the Board of Trustees) in response to the experiences of sexual abuse and harassment made public by several former Tyneside Cinema employees. We are dismayed by the accounts of how complaints of this kind have been dealt with by the organisation. We stand in solidarity with past and present employees who are survivors of abuse.
We feel strongly that existing training policies, grievance procedures and mechanisms for whistleblowing are not fit for purpose. We take this view based on substantial anecdotal evidence from colleagues and former colleagues.
We do not feel that Tyneside Cinema is a safe workplace for everyone. At present the stated aim to “support a culture of equality and inclusivity” does not extend beyond diversifying our programmes. We must support people of colour, and those of different nationalities, beliefs and backgrounds, across every area of the organisation; ensure proper representation, especially at a senior level; and acknowledge and act on the fact that diversity and inclusion are intimately linked to safety and security via employment practices, recognising that precarious employment directly affects employees’ ability to speak out on matters of safety or to raise complaints without fear.
Currently, Tyneside Cinema is in a very precarious position financially; we are fundraising and restructuring in order to survive the impact of Covid-19 on the organisation. The entire workforce faces redundancy and is being required to contribute to development of business plans that will enable the charity to survive.
As both employees and audience members, we love the cinema and passionately believe its existence is essential for the cultural landscape of the North East. Yet, for too long, the deep affection held by many for Tyneside and its heritage has been used to avoid addressing internal issues. Our continued survival as an organisation is contingent on confronting these problems honestly and transparently. The cinema’s reputation cannot rest on its past as a ‘safe space’ or as allied with radical histories if it cannot look after its current staff properly.
This letter is clear feedback on existing procedures and training practice at Tyneside Cinema, which we demand the Chief Executive and board take seriously and act upon. Current measures (e.g. the attempt to begin an EDI working group) are not enough. The organisation must make changes to HR policy and practice in order to directly address a lack of inclusivity and employee support. These changes should include:
Until these issues are addressed, Tyneside Cinema will remain a workplace that is neither safe nor inclusive.
We the undersigned work across all departments of Tyneside Cinema’s charity and trading company. In signing this letter we represent only ourselves as individuals employed by an organisation that we hope will change.
Current Employees of Tyneside Cinema & Tyneside Cinema Trading Company
Adam Lowe, Customer Service
Adam Pugh, Artists’ Moving Image Programme
Aidan Knowles Levitt, Customer Service
Alex Ayre, Learning and Participation
Alina Trewhitt, Learning & Participation
Alison Clegg, Film Hub North
Andrew Simpson, Film Programme
Andy Robson, Film Hub North
Angel Lloyd, Box Office and Customer Service
Anonymous Employee of Tyneside Cinema
Anonymous Employee of Tyneside Cinema
Anonymous employee of Tyneside Cinema
Anonymous employee of Tyneside Cinema
Anonymous Employee of Tyneside Cinema
Anthony Sullivan, Vicolo
Amy O’Hara, Film Hub North
Ben Byers, Customer Service
Beth Veitch, Customer Service
Caitlin Fairlamb, Customer Service
Caitrin Innis, Development Manager
Cameron Bell, Kitchen
Claire Darcy, Vicolo
Daniel Gourley, Vicolo
Dominic MacArthur, Customer Service
Eduarda Fernandes Valente, Customer Service
Emily Wright, Box Office / Marketing
Erin Connor, Customer Service
Esther Doyle, Box Office / Marketing
Gary Ormston, Bar Cafe
George Richardson, Tech
Georgia Hardwick, Customer Service
Georgia Stoddart, Bar Cafe
Hannah Rickman Peddie, Bar Cafe
Ian Fenton, Learning and Participation
Jay Hildreth, Customer Service
James Gardner, Tech
Jen Bradfield, Learning and Participation
Jenny Spoors, Customer Service Team Leader
John Barratt, Learning and Participation
Katie Martin, Customer Service
Katie Nicholson, Customer Service / Bar Cafe
Kelly Enderwick, Marketing
Laura Garcia, Box Office / Customer Service
Laura Hemy, Vicolo
Lorna Ramsey, Vicolo
Lucy Orton, Bar Cafe
Mani Kambo, Customer Service
Mark Nicholson, Vicolo
Martha Lane, Box Office / Marketing
Martina Pani, Bar Cafe
Michael Surtees, Customer Service
Midnight Memphis, Access Cinema Coordinator
Niamh O’Kane, Customer Service
Patrick Newton, Bar Cafe
Philip Kennedy, Film Hub North
Phil Boardman, Bar Cafe
Rachel Pronger, Film Programme
Rebecca Doneghan, Employee of Tyneside Cinema
Roisin Mullins, Film Hub North
Roxy McKenna, Film Hub North
Ruth Bolam, Marketing
Ryan Marsden, Finance
Ryan Peebles, Learning and Participation
Ryan Price, Customer Service
Sally Folkard, Film Hub North
Sally Hoban, Customer Service
Sam Bond, Customer Service
Sarah Young, Hires & Events Department
Saya Naruse, Customer Service
Sean McKenna, Learning and Participation
Sean Patrick Winnie, Box Office
Sel MacLean, Bar Cafe
Shaun Harrison, Film Hub North & Technical
Shiori Naruse, Customer Service
Sophie Thomas, Bar Cafe
Stacey Smith, Finance
Taryn Edmonds, Learning & Participation
Tess Denman-Cleaver, Artists’ Moving Image Programme
Thomas Hurren, Bar Cafe
Tom Ward, Employee of Tyneside Cinema
William O’Brien, Employee of Tyneside Cinema
Former Employees of Tyneside Cinema & Tyneside Cinema Trading Company
Adam S Potts
Adam W Potts
Adriana Rojas-Viquez
Agata Ryniewicz-Blaszczyk
Ailsa Hemphill
Aiyisha Williams
Ali Ward-Timms
Alice Blundell
Alice McGlinchey
Alison Janes
Ami Nisa
Andrea Carter
Andrew Beadling
Andrew Spoors
Anna Casey
Anna Cornelius
Anna McCully Stewart
Anonymous Former Employee
Anthony Kay
Ay Okpokam
Beckie Darlington
Ben Cooper
Bethan Devitt
Beth Evans
Beth Harrison
Bradley Langham
Caitlin Ivory
Carl Bennett
Caroline Roach
Carys Rose Thomas
Charlotte Gregory
Chloë Barker
Chris Santos
Cj Reay
Cliodhna Murphy
Dan Smith
David Carr
David McGregor
David Spittle
Dominic Smith
Elise Watson
Emily Maddock Khan
Emily Rivron-Shaw
Emily Ross
Emma Fleming
Erin McGrath
Fiona Fitzpatrick
Gailen Manuel
Georgia Rakusen
Grace Denton
Hal Branson
Hannah Baker
Hannah D’Arcy
Hannah McParlin
Hannah Whyte
Heather Bradshaw
Helen Robertson
Helia Perissia
Hope Stebbing Johnsen
Jack Marley
Jade Mccluskey
James MacLellan
James Smith
Jemma Edwards
Jane Doherty
Janice Halliday
Jennifer O’Neill
Jessica Barnes
Jessica Bennett
Jill Hargreaves
Joby Mageean
Jo Hislop
John Baitey
John Hudson
John Oswell
Jordan Johnson
Josephine MacLellan-Read
Julie Ballands
Karl Birrane
Karishma Patel
Kate May
Kathryn Robertson
Kelsey Fairlamb
Kirsti Beautyman
Kuba Ryniewicz
Laura Crow
Laura Rothwell & Crystallised, (Former contractor/supplier)
Lauren Harrison
Lauren Stafford
Lauren Wilson
Liam Russell
Lindsay Nicholson
Linsey Saxon
Lisa Newberry
Mark Ball
Martin Futers
Melanie Iredale
Mike Kirkup
Miriam Atkinson
Monika Kasprzak
Natalie Chigariro
Nathalie Bouleau Chabot
Neil Watson
Oriana Franceschi
Paddy Blundell
Paula Elliott
Paul Dolan
Phoebe Elliott
Phoebe Friggens
Rachel Brook
Rachel Moles
Rachael Johnson
Rhona Stewart
Richard Bate
Richard Brimacombe
Robin Webb
Rosa Mitchelmore
Rosie Strong
Ruth Hastings
Sam Flowers
Sam Summers
Sarah Bayliss
Sarah Hymers
Sarah Little
Sarah Willetts
Sarah Younas
Savannah Betts
Scott Burrell
Scott Jenkins
Sian Armstrong
Stephen Dugdale
Tanya Miah
Tom Cotton
Tom Gallagher
Tom Higham
Tom Hopkin
Tom Summers
Victoria Nunn
Will Leng
Zach Robinson