I mentioned in my last post that I have just got back from Women's TUC Conference. While there I seconded motion 23 which called for zero tolerance for bullying and harassment in the workplace.
My speech went down quite well and I have been asked to reproduce it so I thought I would do so here.
Chair, sisters.
On monday a senior manager called me darling. I gave him a gob full, and he apologised, so I let him live.
On tuesday a colleague snuck up behind me and poked me. I gave him a gob full and he apologised, so I let him live.
Yesterday on my way here I got talking to a man on the train about where I was going. He asked who I had to sleep with in the union to get here. I gave him a gob full and he apologised, so I let him live.
This morning as I went to the shop at 6.45 to buy toothpaste a man shouted 'HI BIG TITS!' at me.
He's dead now.
Tomorrow I will have another story. And the day after that. And the day after that. And so will we all.
I have the confidence to shout back but not every woman does.
And we need that confidence.
Work should be a safe space. We must demand that it is a safe space. But the men won't do it so we sisters have to do it for ourselves.
Zero tolerance for bullying. Zero tolerance for sexual harassment. Zero tolerance for dickheads.
We need to go old school. We need to educate women, agitate women and organise women to have the confidence to shout back too.
Support the motion.
So this explains why I was offered alibis and asked at breakfast if I had killed anyone yet.
I managed to get through the day without doing so.
Thank you Women's TUC for an amazing conference.
Lets now practice zero tolerance for dickheads!
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