N12 - Before you are shocked by the inequality - look in the mirror

"Just before the next article, which is shocked by gender pay gaps or unfounded working conditions, it is worth taking a moment to do a home inspection and make sure that the organization itself is running properly."

Ornat Cohen worked on the N12 and rarely decided to reveal her salary level and past chauvinistic experiences

Ornat Cohen, guest column

16/01/2022

Sunday, 16 January 2022, 08:52 Updated: 09:10

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The N12 was shocked last week to discover the pay gap between women and men in a variety of areas. Even in high-tech! It's just that you might want to take a peek inside before rushing to be shocked.

I worked at News 12 for almost five years. In the summer of 2015, the initial salary offered to me in the initial position I filled was NIS 6,000 per month, gross, global. The job included 2-3 night shifts a week (and another 3-2 day shifts, respectively), and a weekend shift every other weekend. I tried to bargain - after all, I arrived after 3 years of GLC and another year and a half with the Minister of Justice, and almost a degree in Hebrew media - and they explained to me that this is how you pay for this standard. I signed, and within a few months I was promoted. There are pay calls once a year. "It makes sense.

Shortly after I started the new role a new guy came to overlap for that initial role.

His first role in the media and that.

As I set the table for the start of the shift I saw a folded page, and opened to see if it was important or could recycle.

It was his employment contract, with a high salary

of 500 NIS of my own. Here I was suspicious.

H from me.

I was debating what to do, but a former colleague advised me not to go knocking on the table: "Managers will not approve of accusations of chauvinism, because they do not perceive themselves as such, and will take revenge on you - even if not consciously."

So I just spread the gossip about inequality among colleagues, and in the cross-section call I got a 20% raise.

I will never know if it is related or not.

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To the full article

"Managers will not approve of accusations of chauvinism."

Article on N12 (Photo: screenshot, screenshot)

Colleagues get into a conversation and leave with a nice raise

When you look behind the curtain - to the executive floor and the list of editors - suddenly the percentage of women drops.

True, when the other authority is made up of board members, it makes sure to appoint women as well

In the next cross-talk, after another promotion (!), I got a much more modest raise - even though I had just started running the company's first podcast initiative entirely on my own. "Look, not every year everyone gets, and last year you got a nice upload, and you have to see what happens with the podcasts." Okay, wait. A year after that, when I already have a master's degree in communications in hand, I saw my colleagues get into a conversation and come out with a nice raise (because I learned to ask), and it took weeks until they summoned me - just to tell me there was no intention to give me a raise. "Look, I have a cake and I have to somehow hand it out." Luckily, I came prepared and aware of what others had all I could answer: "So I suggest you find a way to increase the cake, because it would be financially irresponsible for me to stay at that salary." Took two weeks, and found the money.

But it's not just the salary. True, in front of the cameras there are quite a few smart and talented journalists (and beautiful ones, but that's for another post), but when you look behind the curtain - to the executive floor and the list of editors - suddenly the percentage of women drops. True, when the second authority is made up of board members, it makes sure to appoint women as well; But when the news company management decides who to give the reins to, it prefers men. CEOs, VPs, editors of prime-time programs - and the editors? They are in pre-prime, where the ratings are lower and the agenda is not really set. At least that was the case during my five years in the company, I wish it was different today.

And I?

During my last two years at the news company time and time again I was assured realistically that I would become an editor-in-chief in the main edition, a sensible professional advancement for someone who was promoted time and time again within the online desk.

Again and again I tried to figure out when my turn would come, what I needed to do to make it happen;

I have been repeatedly told that it is only a matter of standards, and when there is one available - I will get the opportunity.

Miraculously, time and time again I have seen how a standard is vacated - and perceived by someone else.

Throughout my time in the news, I only remember one woman who filled that role.

But it's not just the salary.

Article on N12 (Photo: screenshot, screenshot)

The affected male ego

Gender pay gaps This is of course not the only area where labor market coverage is hypocritical.

Even when articles about the "embarrassing salary" are published once every few months

It's important to say this too: I could not fight - or try to fight - for what I deserve without real allies. Almost all of my male colleagues were quick to cooperate with me and tell me how much they earn in a month, and how much raise they received. It's far from obvious, and I'm grateful to them for helping me. I also will not forget the one who told me that he is actually not so surprised: “I go to the manager and tell him I have no money to pay for girls on dates and it humiliates me, and it helps. We need to play on this place, of the damaged male ego. "

By the way, gender pay gaps is of course not the only area where labor market coverage is hypocritical. Even when articles were published every few months about the "embarrassing salary" of a variety of professionals compared to the "sacred work" they do - whether it be teachers, social workers, medical interns and more and more - we used to giggle at the desk in despair. After all, even in the press, almost all the workers earn a disgraceful wage in a profession where work is required under pressure around the clock, in shifts, while demonstrating knowledge in a variety of fields. These are people most of whom can work in much more lucrative occupations, in much more comfortable conditions, and with far less venomous criticism from any random person they meet on the street and find out what they work for. And it's not just now that the field is facing "brain drain": there is a limit to how long you can work just out of a sense of mission. Just ask cadets at the State Department - there were some articles about them, too.From other media outlets we also know how ironic the articles about abuse in the workplace can be (thankfully, this is something I myself have not experienced).

So maybe before the next article that is shocked by gender pay gaps or unfounded working conditions, you should do a moment of home inspection and make sure the organization itself is running properly.

(And I admit - this text sat on my computer for quite some time before I decided to publish it. And even now, when I'm about to send it, my heart is beating at 9,000 beats per minute and my hands are a little shaky. It's scary to burn a bridge, it's unpleasant Of people I love and appreciate. But enough, I can no longer with this hypocrisy).

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