ADDRESSING SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

WHEREAS, the American Federation of Teachers has an ongoing commitment to combat sexual discrimination, harassment and violence; and

WHEREAS, the AFT refuses to tolerate any form of sexual harassment, discrimination or violence; and

WHEREAS, members of this union and other workers continue to experience sexual discrimination, harassment and violence in their workplaces; and

WHEREAS, workers have the right to safe and respectful working conditions, including choosing to disclose an experience of sexual discrimination, harassment or violence without fear of retribution; and

WHEREAS, locals of this union are already working to provide protections for workers experiencing sexual harassment, discrimination, and violence; and

WHEREAS, the AFT is in a unique position to gather the practices, policies and bargaining language from these locals and provide it to everyone:

RESOLVED, that the AFT will recognize and address the frequency and severity of these occurrences in consultation with locals, while acknowledging that statistics underrepresent incidents of sexual discrimination, harassment and violence; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will treat all incidents and allegations seriously and promptly with trauma-informed responses; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT reaffirms its refusal to tolerate sexual discrimination, harassment and violence by collaborating with locals to compile a list of evidence-based best practices to be distributed to all locals; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will adopt and implement these practices; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will promote bargaining platforms that uphold the rights of the complainants, victims, and survivors and validate their experiences as potential hindrances to their ability to work.