5. Representing members

A union rep can provide a reassuring presence for the complainant. Members who have taken the decision to come forward can be feeling frightened or nervous or experiencing feelings of shame and embarrassment. This could be the first time they have discussed what is going on with anyone else and they will need reassurance that they are in no way to blame for what is going on.

It is essential that all reps undergo training to understand discrimination issues and what harassing behaviour and its impact are. The training should also cover how best to support and represent members in cases of harassment, ensuring they are dealt with sensitively and confidentially. A rep responding to LRD’s survey said: “The impact on individuals is significant and long lasting and I suspect more could be done to support individuals beyond the conclusion of a formal investigation.”

A union may find that they have to represent the victim (see below) and the alleged perpetrator (see page 43) and should have a clear policy in place to deal with this.