Education, Training, and Support for Unions
Adapted from “Domestic Violence: A Union Issue. A Workplace Training Kit for Unions”, Urban, B.Y. & Wagner, K.C. (2000), San Francisco, CA: Futures Without Violence.
Unions can play a role in preventing and responding to domestic and sexual violence, and stalking by providing education, training, and support to members impacted by workplace violence. This resource provides information on how union members, stewards, and officers can provide support to survivors of violence.
For Members and Families
Make sure your Member Assistance Program and/or Employee Assistance Program includes services for domestic and sexual violence and stalking, and that union offices have information available about where to refer members for help. Developing a brochure and a resource directory for members with information about the dynamics of violence and community resources will provide guidance for both members and their families.
For Stewards and Officers
Include information on domestic and sexual violence and stalking in regular steward/delegate training or prepare special workshops for stewards on the workplace issues related to domestic and sexual violence and stalking. Stewards should offer to advocate to help the employee through a crisis, and to encourage the employer to make accommodations. Stewards should also be trained on how to respond to and assist members who are perpetrators of violence, and what to do when both the victim and the perpetrator are members. Properly training union stewards and officers to assist employees when domestic and sexual violence comes to the workplace can make life easier for all union members.
For a sample training exercise, see Interact with a Virtual Employee, on this website.
For an awareness-raising presentation for members and officers, see The Role of the Union When Members Experience Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking.
For training materials for members and stewards on domestic violence and the union’s role, see Domestic Violence: A Union Issue: A Workplace Training Kit for Unions.