NATUC addresses sexual harassment in the workplace

NATUC’s General Secretary, Michael Annisette, revealed this during an interview on Thursday following his participation in a panel on the subject.

The panel was part of the “European Union and Faculty of Law Human Rights Open Day”, hosted by the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

“We are going to meet several groups to formulate a strategy and a plan in terms of how we deal with this particular issue and the question of treating women with respect and dignity,” Annisette said. “How do we bring it into the national debate? How we bring it into the boardroom, into the drawing rooms and homes of our citizens, so that this issue would really be addressed in a meaningful and serious way?” Annisette noted that “without a woman, none of us would be here and therefore we have to respect that. We have to get away from the tradition where women are seen as objects to be used and they have no rights. (This meeting) is about building a new culture, a new society, where the dignity of women is respected and that is what we are about.” The meeting is scheduled to take place at the SWWTU Hall on Wrightson Road, Portof- Spain.

Asked by Newsday if either the SWWTU or NATUC, of which it is a member, has a sexual harassment policy, Annisette said no. He added that this too will be addressed today.

“We are looking at policies from international (union) affiliates.

We’ll want to include those policies in terms of our union (SWWTU) and in terms of NATUC,” Annisette stated.