Women’s groups and trade unions have warned the government not to abandon “essential” legislation on workplace sexual harassment.
According to reports, ministers are expected to withdraw support from the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill, which would introduce a legal duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and to protect staff from third-party harassment by clients and customers, following objections from Conservative backbenchers and peers.
The private members’ bill, tabled by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, initially received support from the government. It is currently at the committee stage in the House of Lords
In a joint letter to business secretary Kemi Badenoch, the campaigners – including the TUC, Fawcett Society and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, warn that sexual harassment is “endemic” in the workplace.
The signatories say: “We know that half of working women will experience workplace sexual harassment. It is even higher for LGBT+, disabled, and Black women but these figures are likely just the tip of the iceberg as 79% of women do not report their experiences.
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“Third-party harassment is extensive. 56% of women working in the hospitality industry have experienced sexual harassment as have three in five nurses while carrying out their work.
“From the Presidents Club scandal to more recent allegations emerging from the CBI we know that sexual harassment is endemic and must be addressed.”
Highlighting the need for the Worker Protection Bill, the campaigners say that reform is essential to protect women in the workplace and to drive the culture change necessary to tackle violence against women as well as other forms of discrimination.
“The reforms will mean that employers must take sexual harassment seriously and take preventative measures to protect workers rather than wait for an incident to occur,” they say.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “As this letter makes clear, sexual harassment is happening on an industrial scale in workplaces across Britain.
“The time for excuses is over. We urgently need to strengthen protections to protect workers. The government must come clean about its plans. Will it support this much-needed legislation and help keep women and workers safe from harassment? Or will it cave into the demands from its backbenchers?”
Fawcett Society chief executive Jemima Olchawski added: “We need to see a serious commitment from this government to better protect women at work.
“It’s nothing short of scandalous that some Tory Peers have sought to play politics with a bill which would offer the first significant increase in protections for women since the #MeToo movement. Women deserve and demand better. It’s time for this government to deliver.”
The campaigners add that if the government is intending to proceed with the bill, it should commit to dedicating enough time in the Parliamentary calendar for it to pass in this session.
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A number of trade unions, including Unite, Unison and the National Education Union, are also signatories of the letter.
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