Unions representing sexual harassment perpetrators

JOINT Select Committee (JSC) member Hazel Thompson-Ahye says in most cases of sexual harassment trade unions represent the (alleged) "harasser" and not the victim.

She was speaking Friday as various NGOs and entities met with the JSC on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity on an Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in the Workplace at the Parliament building.

She recalled Labour Ministry senior legal officer Sangeeta Boondoo in her opening statement said the remedies available include assistance from trade unions.

"Are you aware that in most of the cases, including the celebrated (1996) Republic Bank case, the union represented the harasser (sic)? And if you look at a lot of the judgements coming out of the court it is really some harasser has been fired and the union has come to say he should have been fired. So I don't know what comfort one can give a worker when that is the way it has been really playing out in the courts."

In the Industrial Court case of Bank Employees' Union and Republic Bank the union made an application for harsh and oppressive dismissal after a male employee was fired following allegations of sexual harassment involving three employees. The court upheld that sexual harassment did occur.