Manchester
Technology have found this among even 52 percent of those in the survey.
now being discussed cess. Judith Arkwright pamphlet.
How common is sexual narussmen as a yorm oj discrimination against women!
AS: Well, the surveys speak for themselves and there will be others. A lot of women don't actually recognise whats happening in fact we were surprised that with consciousness •EreSSeso low, many women actually did IacIe Teas a common problem. The more talked about the more the figures will go up as the ISSUC COlCS OuL THo die MB: It is difficult to define and its effects are difficult to measure. For instance in one survey 95 percent of women said they found dirty jokes oftensive — out this wasn't seen as sexual harassment COUL ulciev dirty jokes are directed against WOILICH.
AS: Sexual blackmail is called it. That is obviously serious — if a boss uses his position to make sexual advances and then threatens to sack you if you reruse elc. but unings like pinching your bottom 1s harassment. here have also been cases of rape. Basically it depends how the woman feels about it, how serious it is. MB: Sexism obviously exists in all aspects of our lives but sexual harassment is something different - its more than just discrimination - its when man does something which positively degrades or puts down a woman rather than just negatively discriminates.
AS: People will say we're against tun, or against MORE than one in ten working women have suffered unwanted sexual advances from men they work with. This was the startling result of a survey conducted by Marplan in June this Institute of and and What has for so long been a hidden issue is openly in the labour movement. A recent pamphlet by the National Council for Civil Liberties on the subject and a conference held in June have helped this prospoke to MELISSA BENN and ANN SEDLEY the authors of the harmless flirtation - thats not what its about. Sexual harassment has very little to do with fancying someone There was a case TV Eye documentary WeSTOE guilty of unfair dismissal oi a woman who had com. plained about his sexual advances he tried justify himself by saying he didn't "fancy' her.
Its to do with men feeling they have the comments about WORLICILS clothes bodies. The way we define it in the pamphlet is ant learing, touching, looks or actions which create a bad working environment.
Why do you argue that it should be a trade union issue?
MB: Well, because it is a work issue. As more and HorC wolcuaeccomy active in the trade unions it OCCOlllE BaSSIVC issue. NALGO ACTTS, NUJ are now taking it up.
The women's advisory committee is writing guidelines which are going out for discussion in the umons.
AS: If the boss is harassing you then he can force you oul or emolovment Often a woman will get moved job rather than the man because he is too IMDOTtant to be moved. There is an example in the pamphiet of a woman who had nervous breakdown Decause she comen Esane the strain - its very much an issue or working conditions, equal opportunities and so on.
What about the recent case of the man who was awarded compensation for sexual harassment?
FiND From the new pamphlet on Sexual Harassment MB: That's a complete red herring. It's typical of the press hey didn t report aff They didn't report all awards which have been made in the States. The media coverage of our book has been incredible they aSCes make up we wore. There were headlines about how we were advising 'girls to grab back'. They wanted to trivialise the issue. What do you think the remedies are?
AS: The main thing is that women should talk to each other about it. Sometimes unis will oe enougn - as a lot of men simply don't realise they're being offensive — if you talk to other women and then go and tell the man concerned that can work. If not you should go to the shop steward or the manager. MB: There is also the law - its not a solution on its own but it can help. don't know how effective the law in this country pecause us never actually been tested — its not clear whether sexual harassment sex discrimination TULI some cases nave successfully gone to the tribunal unfair dismissal but that is all.
There should be established procedures through the unions and a grievance procedure with managment. That makes it easier for the woman. CLC seweeataee union official did actually sacking trade union RE member because the harassment was so bad.
about explusion from the union - - which is proposed by NALGO? AS: No, 1 don't think so. The point we're arguing is that it can be dealt with efore it gets to that kinc of stage. That is the poin having procedures - obviously the trade union should decide what to do and what to recommend.
We hope that the issue will get talked about -- SC against this OCHaVOUs want unions to take bulk orders of the pamphlet and get the issues discussed and we're going to be organising seminars for trade unionists.
MB: Sexual harassment has been an invisible issue. Obviously there are other TOTIIS of harassment racial or harassment for politics but sexual harassment is perhaps LIULC difficult fight. Sometimes its difficult to explain. Maybe you don't want to be to someone who thinks they're aying you a complemen s difficult to explain wh it offends.
But it does affect your Wor. — womier.nave been going off sick or leaving their jobs when it gets real ly bad. We feel that women can get tocemeI and recognise it as a common problem not an dividual thing then thats 1111the beginning Woman docker in Sweden
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year. Other surveys conducted by NALGO and Science
STUPID BORiNG