in our 'Women in the Unions' series member of the Women's Advisory Committee of the National Communications Union, looks at the issue of sexual harassment and explains why it is a trade union issue. Marian writes in a personal capacity.
Sexual harassment is one of the topics for discussion at the Women for Socialism/Socialist Movement Trade Union Committee Women in the Unions' national meeting in November.
It is also a subject rarely debated on the left, despite being a common experience for literally millions of working women.
The labour and trade union movement has only very recently begun to take the issue of sexual harassment seriously.
Like many other issues important to them, women trade unionists have had to battle hard to establish the problem as Fascists on the march: can the left mobilise to drive them off the streets? personal issue for the woman in question.
Indeed, the TUC oniy established policy in 1983. Its document. 'Sexual Harassment at Work' has been used by many unions for establishing policy.
But what is sexual narassment? It is any unwanted sexual comment, look, suggestion or physical contact that a woman finds objectionable or ottensive Offensive pranks Many forms of men's be haviour can be included. Insensitive jokes or pranks, unnecessary touching or physical contact, suggestive remarks or verbal abuse, personal comments about appearance, size or clothes, leering, pin-ups, displays of pornographic pictures, demands for sexual favours, physical assault or explicit sexual violence. All constitute sexual harassment when the behaviour is not asked for and not wanted.
Why is sexual harassment a trade union issue? Because it imposes conditions of work on women which are not usually inflicted on men, sexual harassment is one of the most serious forms of sex discrimination. It creates a hostile and intimidating working environment. It afwork, and is often used as a form of intimidation in jobs that are traditionally done by men.
Many women who are victims of sexual harassment suffer tension and fear, some have nervous breakdowns, and many are forced to resolve the problem by transfering or resigning Sexual harassment seriously undermines a woman's job security. It can present a danger to health in the same way as asbestos or defective work equipment. Women should not be forced to work in unhealthy conditions, in an atmosphere polluted by sexual harassment.
Real problem
In the National Communications Union (NCU), women have had to fight hard to get the union to take this issue seriously. Many trade unionists do not believe either that sexual harassment existed or that it is a real problem to be dealt with.
It was one of the first issues that the NCU's Women's Support Group took up. They produced an information pack describing what sexual harassment is, and also how to combat it. They also looked at the problems experienced by women at conference socials and how sexual harassment occured at these.
For the past three years now, the Women's Advisory Committee has been organising socials where people could have a good time in an atmosphere that is encouraged to be tree sexism, racism and homophobia.
Leaflets
The NCU has now produced leaflets to distribute to members, and also guidelines for branch officers on how to deal with sexual harassment when it occurs.
When women in the NCU were fighting to establish policy on the issue, they were greatly helped by the material that other including NALGO and the IGWU, and the TUC had published.
Women trade unionists have developed a wealth of experience in fighting sexual larassment.
Readers may well remember last year's victorious week-long strike by the Union of Communications Workers in Oxford, caused when the Post Office management refused to discipline a supervisor who had sexually harassed a woman cleaner.
These experiences need to be shared so that new activists have the necessary ammunition to take the fight against sexual harassment still further in the Tons.