20 Nov 2019

Women's drastic actions to not pee in male dominated workplaces

From First Up, 5:44 am on 20 November 2019

Women working on New Zealand's railways are deliberately dehydrating themselves - or even taking medication - to stop themselves from going toilet due to a lack of facilities. The Rail & Maritime Transport Union says it's heard horror stories about the facilities available to women in the historically male-dominated industry. In one South Island railway workplace, it says two women discovered that they were expected to share the men's toilets and showers. And in a railway mechanical depot, the women's wash facility is in a separate location to the changing room, meaning women have to run the gauntlet in a towel from their workplace shower to the changing room. KiwiRail rail operator Rebecca Hauck is one of an increasing number of women working in the industry. She told our reporter Matthew Theunissen about what the lack of loos means for her job.