Young trade unionists launch a campaign today tackling sexual harassment in the workplace.
UNISON Eastern’s young workers committee is distributing thousands of postcards to UNISON members across the region, raising awareness of sexual harassment and advising people how to deal with it.
The ‘Uncomfortable Yet?’ campaign includes a video and posters to display in hospitals, schools, council offices and other public-sector workplaces to make sure people know what do if they feel uncomfortable.
It is the first in a series of campaigns planned in eastern England to coincide with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Year of the Young Worker.
UNISON Eastern young workers committee chair Jordan Watson said: “We are much more aware of sexual harassment now than we were a couple of years thanks to high-profile revelations in Hollywood and the work of the Me Too movement.
“But there’s still a lot to do to make sure people at work are aware of what sexual harassment actually is and – importantly – what they can do about it.
“And we want people to understand that it can affect anybody, regardless of age, sex, sexuality or gender.
“From suggestive comments to inappropriate jokes to requests for sexual favours, if it makes you uncomfortable it has no place in the workplace.
“But with support from your trade union, you can make sure managers do something about sexual harassment and the pain and misery that it causes.”
To find out how you can get involved with UNISON’s young workers committee, contact John Lawrence or get in touch with us on Facebook.
UNISON is supporting the TUC’s #ThisIsNotWorking campaign to change the law, bringing in a duty for employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace before it happens.