A sexual discrimination claim worth more than $1bn is currently being brought against a major investment bank in London and New York as a class action for 500 women.
Because the majority of other cases have ended in gagging clauses, a BBC programme, Sex, The City and Me seeks to reveal the truth behind stories like these for the first time in a fictional drama inspired by real, in depth testimony.
Senior banker Sarah, 40, sued her bank last year. She was paid significantly less than her male counterparts, despite 15 years experience at the bank, referred to in meetings as a waitress and excluded from all-male client entertainment on the golf course.
She was all the more angry because she "worked right up until my waters broke" and was then back in the office just a few days after she gave birth to prove a point.
The BBC spoke to dozens of women in confidence and the same stories emerged time and again.
Perhaps most shocking is that employees who dared take the banks to a tribunal encountered ruthless tactics in the lead-up to the hearings.
Corporate financier Carrie, 45, had her bank and email accounts tapped into.
Banker Fiona, 30, was followed and made the subject of a smear campaign in the papers. To pile on the pressure, copies of her work emails containing jokes with an explicit sexual meaning were then sent to family and friends.
Sarah, Lucy and Joanna all told stories of personnel departments "losing" or destroying evidence that was vital to their cases.
According to the Equal Opportunities Commission, women in the City are paid 43% less than men - compared with a national pay gap of 22%. City employment lawyers say that more than half of their sexual cases are to do with pregnancy and maternity.
Katharina Tofeji, for example, has suffered a mental breakdown from the stress of bringing a maternity case. She is currently awaiting the outcome of the case she has brought against BNP Paribas.
Employment lawyer Camilla Palmer of Palmer and Wade always advises City-women to think very carefully before they litigate, because bringing a high class action, "they'll never work in the City again"if they are a senior partner in there. She said also:"It's time consuming, stressful, expensive and uncertain. And you have to face huge amounts of hostility. The power balance is stacked against women bringing cases".
The vast majority never work in the City again; they become professional pariahs losing huge potential earnings. If they lose, the huge legal costs are life-changing.
Olivia, 40, who sued her bank in 2004, says that despite the veneer of equal opportunities, "in many ways, things are worse now for women than they used to be. I remember when traders used to crawl under our desks to see if we were wearing stockings, but that was easy to deal with."
Olivia settled out of court, but has not worked since her case. "I genuinely think I would find it easier to tell someone I'm HIV positive than to tell them I have sued for sexual discrimation, the stigma is so strong," she says.
The problem is that a lot of women in the City think they are wrong to deal with something like this, but money corrupts and they lose their moral principles.
In spite of all these struggles the right way is always the truth.
 Add as favourites (0) |  Quote this article on your site | Views: 606
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved |
Documentation 
