We'll Support You - we can end sexual harassment at work

Sexual harassment is wrong, and it has no place at work, or anywhere in society. It can include:

• Physical – touching, pinching, stroking, squeezing.
• Verbal – sexual jokes, comments or requests.
• Other – unwanted attention, e-mails or gifts.

If something doesn’t feel right, talk to your trade union rep.

New law on sexual harassment at work 

After many years of campaigning by the trade union movement and civil society, the Worker Protection Act came into effect on 26 October 2024. This means that employers will need to take a proactive and preventative approach to protecting their employees from workplace sexual harassment. 

This duty is an important move forward in tackling sexual harassment. 

We’ll Support You campaign 

Tackling and preventing sexual harassment in all workplaces is a priority for TUC Cymru.

So we’ve created a campaign to raise awareness and educate workers about workplace sexual harassment, worker’s rights and reporting methods.

We want this campaign to help eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. 

The campaign will: 

• Show workers that they can talk to a union rep if they experience or witness sexual harassment at work
• Empower reps to be able to support workers who have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment
• Highlight how unions and employers can work together to create safer workplaces. 

Download our We'll Support You campaign handbook to find out more about the background to the campaign 

How reps and branches can get involved with the We’ll Support You campaign 

Reps are key to making this campaign a success and in changing perceptions about what you can do if you experience or witness sexual harassment. 

If you’re a rep please consider getting involved in one or more of the following ways: 

• Order physical posters and display them on notice boards, in your canteen and reception.
• Download posters and leaflets to print off and display in your workplace.
• Share and raise awareness of the campaign across your channels e.g. website, social media, newsletters, intranet.
• Reshare social media posts, graphics and videos from TUC Cymru’s social media channels.
• Sign up for our Tackling and Preventing Sexual Harassment training for reps – a three-day course delivered online.
• Download our Tackling Sexual Harassment toolkit for guidance on how to negotiate with your employer for better sexual harassment policies and practices. 

Order your We'll Support You campaign posters

How unions can get involved with the We’ll Support You campaign 

Trade unions are vital to making sure this campaign is seen as widely as possible. If you work for a trade union please support the campaign in one or more of the following ways: 

• Share and raise awareness of the campaign across your channels e.g. website, social media and newsletters.
• Share social media posts, graphics and videos.
• Order physical posters to take on visits to workplaces.
• If possible, create a dedicated webpage for the campaign.
• Direct reps towards TUC Cymru’s Tackling and Preventing Sexual Harassment training.

Order your We'll Support You campaign posters

How employers can get involved with the We’ll Support You campaign 

Good employers want their workers to feel safe and supported. Getting involved in the We’ll Support You campaign you help you as an employer towards meeting the preventative duties in the Worker Protection Act 2024. You could: 

• Share and raise awareness of the campaign across your channels e.g. intranet, social media and newsletters.
• Reshare social media posts, graphics and videos from TUC Cymru’s social media channels.
• Order physical posters and display them on notice boards, in your canteen and reception.
• Download posters and leaflets to print off and display in your workplace.
• Download our Tackling Sexual Harassment toolkit for guidance on to improve your sexual harassment policies and practices. 

Order your We'll Support You campaign posters

Tackling and Preventing Sexual Harassment course

TUC Cymru Education trains union reps on a range of topics. We now offer a 3-day course which will help support reps in tackling and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

It will help you to:

• Identify sexual harassment and understand the impacts
• Understand employers' legal responsibilities (including the new preventative duty)
• Negotiate effective workplace policies
• Support members affected by sexual harassment
• Develop an action plan for your workplace

The course will run once a term, usually online. Find out more and sign up for the tackling and preventing sexual harassment course today.