Fighting sexual harassment and standing up for disabled workers

Delegates took part in an impassioned debate on sexual harassment in the workplace in the final session of national conference in Liverpool, while also voting unanimously for 2021 to be designated the Year of Disabled Workers. Pat Heron (pictured), speaking on behalf of women’s conference, argued that, with over a million women members UNISON must lead the way on fighting sexual harassment.  “We must lead the way,” she said, “encouraging our branches and our women to come forward. “We are all complacent if we don’t speak out,” she said. “Members need to know UNISON will support them so they can be confident to report it to their union rep,” she continued. “Anyone at any time can suffer sexual harassment. Too often it’s not treated seriously, but treated as a joke.” Arguing that four out of five people did not report sexual harassment in the workplace for various reasons – “Because your manager thinks it’s funny, because your job depends on keeping quiet…” – Ms Heron also pointed out that, in the aftermath of high-profile, celebrity cases of sexual harassment, “we have the responsibility to ensure that the sexual harassment discussion is about ordinary people in ordinary jobs. “And if we think UNISON is free from sexual harassment in our structures, we should think again. We must have zero tolerance.” A speaker from Milton Keynes branch gave her personal experience of sexual harassment, including being groped in the street at the age ...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - Category: Occupational Health Authors: Tags: Article disabled members National Disabled Members sexual harassment women members young members Source Type: news