Why Having a Union is Such a Powerful Tool for Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment

[sheshe2]

snip

Working women with the benefit of a union on the job are in a stronger position to fight sexual harassment and to get it stopped when it happens. Here’s why:

A union represents the collective power of workers at the workplace. Given that sexual harassment is an abuse of power, typically by a male manager against female subordinates, having a union and collective voice strengthens a worker’s ability to stop harassment. A woman facing sexual harassment is not alone.


Working people with a union feel safer bringing their concerns forward, because they have the power of a collective bargaining agreement and their union behind them. So harassment is more likely to get raised and addressed in a unionized workplace.

The collective bargaining agreements negotiated by workers and their unions with employers typically contain anti-discrimination language and language calling for dignity and respect at work. These contractual provisions are enforced through a grievance and arbitration process at the worksite—a process typically far quicker and less expensive than outside legal proceedings. (
Workers retain the ability to file a discrimination charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or state agency as well, but often the collective bargaining agreement provides stronger and quicker recourse.)

More: https://aflcio.org/2018/2/15/why-having-union-such-powerful-tool-preventing-and-addressing-sexual-harassment


Great move on Bernie's part after the allegations of his 2016 campaign. Bravo sir for finally recognizing the problem.

[uawchild]

1. Are all the campaign's unionized?

It would be nice.

[sheshe2]

2. Dunno.

Have all the campaigns had issues with abuse? Warrens hasn't.

[uawchild]

3. Oh, it's a Sanders thing.

Sorry, I am just very pro-union.

Let me get out of the way of the interniccine combat.

Give me a warning next time lol

But back to my naive post, I really do think unionizing all the campaigns would be a good idea in general.

Cheers!

[sheshe2]

4. You mention BS, yet not your chosen candidate.

Where does he stand in all this?

Cheers!

[uawchild]

8. You weren't talking about the Sander's campaign?

Really?

Ok.... I am a little confuse by this discussion.

Want my opinion on the Sanders campaign?

Let me give it to you in any case.

Sander's has taken many good policy positions but is a spent force in Presidential Politics.
I applaud him for championing progressive issues but I hope that after the debates and maybe a primary or two that he drops out when he realizes he can't win the nomination. I hope that he will then throw his support behind one of the excellent candidates remaining. I would prefer if that was one of the next generation of leadership. Warren would be a good fit for many of his supporters when he drops out too.

Now what does this all have to do with me liking unions for all the campaigns? I am still a little confused.

[sheshe2]

10. I was.

Then you said.

uawchild (2,018 posts)

1. Are all the campaign's unionized?

It would be nice.

That is when I mentioned Warren and Booker.

[uawchild]

11. ohh!

Sorry, it's late.

Cheers!

[sheshe2]

14. Cheers!

I am East Coast and 9:24 PM is not late for me. I am a night owl.

[Tipperary]

42. Well done.

[sheshe2]

43. ;)

[PatrickforO]

27. I think it would be a good idea if every single worker was able

to be represented by a union.

[MerryBlooms]

5. According to MSNBC, his is the first...

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/sanders-first-presidential-campaign-approve-union-contract-workers-n1003491

[sheshe2]

6. First.

Yes.

Bernie Sanders apologizes to women who were sexually harassed while working for his 2016 presidential campaign

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/10/bernie-sanders-apologizes-for-sexual-harassment-in-2016-campaign.html

[MerryBlooms]

7. Positive step forward. n/t

[George II]

21. After major steps backward during the last campaign, but as he put it........

“I was a little bit busy running around the country trying to make the case.”

[George II]

9. Campaigns are generally about a 1-1/2 year enterprise, they disband after the candidate....

....either wins or loses. It hasn't been practical to unionize in the past.

This was prompted by a wide-spread and pervasive "culture" (as some women on the campaign described it) of sexual harassment and abuse, and pay inequality. Sanders' workers unionizing is almost like a preemptive move to make certain it doesn't happen again this time around. It's an act of self-defense.

[sheshe2]

12. Interesting...

Sanders' workers unionizing is almost like a preemptive move to make certain it doesn't happen again this time around. It's an act of self-defense.

Exactly. They also do not have to plea to a higher up in the campaign to state their case. They get to plea to an unbiased union member.

[George II]

13. Pleading to a higher up may have been greeted with this:

“I was a little bit busy running around the country trying to make the case.”

Even though "the case" was essentially being violated by the staffers themselves.

[TCJ70]

15. Good for Bernie for being out front...

...in protecting campaign workers. What a leader, right? I’m sure that was the purpose of this post.

[George II]

16. If he was "out front in protecting campaign workers" this might not have been required....

...haven't you read anything about the abuse, harassment, and income inequality during the 2016 campaign? A reminder:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=111775

His response to the abuse? "I was a little bit busy running around the country trying to make the case.”

Harry Truman would likely disagree.

[sheshe2]

18. Thanks, George.

[TCJ70]

20. So he solved a problem? And this is a negative because...

...why, again? Should he have not done this?

[George II]

25. He solved a problem of his own making, and this is a positive "because why, again?" Had he....

....been more in touch with what was going on in his campaign this might not have been necessary.

No other campaign in recent memory have had so many complaints of sexual abuse and harassment or pay inequality. That's why this is happening and why it isn't considered necessary by the staffers or workers of other campaigns.

So again, why is this a positive?

[TCJ70]

26. This kind of self-reflection and positive response to ones own issues...

...is certainly a positive trait in a potential leader. Thanks for pointing it out!

[ehrnst]

31. "Self reflection and positive responses to one's own issues."

If a potential leader was not involved enough with staff to know that a $30,000 settlement was paid out by his own campaign because of a senior staffer creating a hostile workplace environment for women, would you call that a "positive trait in a potential leader?

And if that potential leader, after being informed of the culture of harassment in a campaign never one reached out to those who reported harassment, then months later one, of the main offenders is invited to that potential leader's 'gathering' would you call that "self reflection and positive responses to one's own issues?"

[LanternWaste]

32. One step forward from seven steps back... positive indeed!

But I get how we force ourselves to put a positive spin on sacred cows... else all we'd have is hamburger meat again.

[TCJ70]

37. Well...

...Bernie’s not my top choice this around. I just find the people who’ve invested four years of hate into him ridiculous in this regard. This thread is rife with them.

[ehrnst]

40. Who in this thread has expressed "hate?"

You consider facts to be "hate?" Are you saying that a candidate must be handled with kid gloves, with no regard to the record?

Perhaps you don't believe the women who came forward with those reports of sexual harassment and gender pay inequities? Do you have any reason to think that Sanders staffers would lie about what they experienced?

That $30,000 settlement that the candidate states he didn't know about - do you believe that's not true as well? That reports of that settlement are "hate?"

Your frantic swatdowns to any post that points out the facts concerning the past workplace conditions that likely concerned current staffer to seek the protections of a union, certainly aren't those of someone who "isn't choosing Bernie this time around."

But do go on.

[KitSileya]

28. No, those working for him solved the problem.

Based on previous behavior by their boss, they knew they needed more safety in the work place.

[ehrnst]

30. His staff wanted the union, and went forward. And he was right not to stand in their way.

It's reasonable to posit that they wanted the union because of the revelations by staff alumni about gender pay inequity, and lack of response to harassment complaints - despite the campaign paying out a $30,000 dollar settlement to staffers who reported harrassment in Iowa and Illinois.

The fact that Sanders says that he "didn't know" about that $30,000 settlement may have given them reason to believe that they needed an alternate advocate for them concerning pay, and workplace safety, and organized into a union.

[TCJ70]

36. "He was right". Yep. N/t

[ehrnst]

38. Unfortunately, his staff felt the need for union protections.

So, you're "not for Bernie this time around."

Who do you think is a better choice than he is?

[sheshe2]

17. Lol...

TCJ70

15. Good for Bernie for being out front...

...in protecting campaign workers. What a leader, right? I’m sure that was the purpose of this post.

Psst. It happened within his campaign. Google his first responses.

Nighty Night.

[TCJ70]

19. So he saw a problem, and took steps to fix it. An appropriate one...

...if your article is accurate. So again...good move, Bernie. It’s ok to say it. You don’t have to be afraid.

[sheshe2]

22. The article is from AFL-CIO.

An appropriate one...

...if your article is accurate.

Are they a questionable source now?

2016/2019. Good thing an Amber Alert does not take three years.

[TCJ70]

23. Absolutely not. Nor did I suggest so.

I think it’s great that you recognize Sanders good choices in this regard and are promoting them with your OPs.

[sheshe2]

24. You did say "If your source is accurate."

Oh trust me, I commend sanders for doing this....finally. When he was first asked, he said he was a little to busy. I am appalled that it took him 3 years and a second campaign to do so.

[ehrnst]

33. Sander's "good choice" in this was not to try to stop his staffers from organizing.

He certainly didn't intiate it, as per the UAW release - the campaign would remain "nuetral" so long as a majority of staffers chose to go union.

It was a "good choice," in that it would have been hyppocritical to try to stop them from doing so.

On February 26th, the campaign agreed to remain neutral in the organizing campaign and to recognize Local 400 if a majority of workers signed union cards.

“Political campaigns are cause-driven and because there is always more work that can be done, staffers are typically worked to the bone,” said Local 400 President Mark P. Federici. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. Even political work must be subject to minimum standards. I congratulate our members on the Bernie Sanders campaign for making their own revolution.”

http://www.ufcw400.org/2019/05/08/bernie-sanders-workers-become-first-presidential-campaign-staff-to-ratify-union-contract/

[TCJ70]

35. So he empowered his workers to make their own choice...

...and didn’t stand in their way. Fantastic!

[ehrnst]

39. Do employees who feel 'empowered' unionize?(nt)

[ehrnst]

29. No, his campaign workers organized to get the protections of a union, Sanders didn't bestow a union.

The candidate simply didn't oppose them as long as they got a majority.

On February 26th, the campaign agreed to remain neutral in the organizing campaign and to recognize Local 400 if a majority of workers signed union cards.

“Political campaigns are cause-driven and because there is always more work that can be done, staffers are typically worked to the bone,” said Local 400 President Mark P. Federici. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. Even political work must be subject to minimum standards. I congratulate our members on the Bernie Sanders campaign for making their own revolution.”

http://www.ufcw400.org/2019/05/08/bernie-sanders-workers-become-first-presidential-campaign-staff-to-ratify-union-contract/

[TCJ70]

34. I'm glad Bernie was amenable to it and everything worked out.

Thanks for pointing out how cooperative he was!

[Hortensis]

41. "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Where Were the Unions?"

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0160449X18809432 Article from Labor Studies Journal. Unions have a mixed record.

I really do imagine the heightened awareness of sexual harassment problems and how to avoid them, plus potentially explosive damage to the campaign from future problems, will help this one function as it should. That's even though many of the same people who were part of what the NYT described as an "aggressive frat boy culture" have been hired for the Bernie Sanders 2020 Presidential Campaign again. There are reportedly approximately 100 members right now.

However, people being people, everyone involved in this high-pressure, high-stakes campaign presumably has big personal and professional interests in a successful campaign, whatever that is to each of them. And that could tend to both discourage bringing complaints in the first place, by either keeping completely silent or settling without notifying the union, and also to pit anyone who did against everyone else involved.

So it can be a powerful tool if it functions as it's meant to.