Nautilus: More work necessary to tackle sexual harassment in maritime

The Union is supporting a motion by the Unison union on combatting sexual harassment in the workplace at the conference, which runs from 9 to 11 March.

Nautilus has contributed an amendment to the motion which seeks to provide support to women whose work and employment arrangements makes it more difficult to access immediate assistance, and to seek legal redress for seafarers and other cross-border workers.

The Unison motion that Nautilus is supporting ‘welcomes the UK government’s announcement (July 2021) that they intend to introduce a duty on employers to protect staff from sexual harassment, protections from third-party harassment, and to look at extending the time limit for employment tribunal cases. Achieving the changes to the law is urgent.’

It can happen to anyone; however, the majority of those affected are women. Too many workers have had to put up with appalling behaviour for too long because they felt nothing would be done if they reported it. There is also evidence that the requirement to work from home during the pandemic has led to online sexual harassment becoming more prevalent

said the motion, which calls on the TUC Women’s Committee and affiliates to:

• Press the government to act urgently to turn intention into action, change the law and enforce it.
• Continue to campaign for zero tolerance of sexual harassment in workplaces, including on-line abuse
• Provide support to women whose work and employment arrangements makes it more difficult to access immediate assistance and to seek legal redress, such as seafarers and other cross-border workers
• Campaign for the UK to ratify the Istanbul Convention and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190, an international treaty that recognises the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment.

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