Sexual harassment is a form of violence against women, and it’s happening in our workplaces all the time, TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady has said, adding stopping it is a trade union priority.

In a TUC blog article she notes that “before the media attention, before women felt able to say #metoo in their thousands, trade unions were supporting members in their workplaces, fighting for dignity at work, and campaigning to end violence and harassment in all forms.”

She adds: In 2018, we want the campaigning work of trade unions to pay off yet again. In June, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) will be discussing whether it will bring in a legally binding international treaty on ending violence against women and men in the world of work. Governments would be required to incorporate the treaty into national law, and employers would have to follow it. Governments would also be expected to commit to reviewing and reporting their progress.”

O’Grady concludes: “Throughout the campaign, unions have called for the treaty to specifically focus on violence against women, recognising that violence and harassment at work overwhelmingly affect women, due to discrimination, unequal power relations and non-standard working conditions. And the UK government agrees with us. They’ve written to the ILO asking for the same robust protections that the TUC has called for. So in the next few months, trade unionists urgently need to lobby employers to support this process.” The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is leading this global campaign and has produced a campaign toolkit for unions.