The union gives you a voice at work, but some managers don’t want to hear that voice — and they use harassment to try to silence you. While the individual being harassed can often feel alone and without recourse, she is not alone—she is a member of NYSNA.
While much of this harassment can seem individualized, it is actually a collective problem for all nurses on that unit. If you are being harassed, it sends a message to other workers to not step out of line or it will happen to them.
If it’s happening to you, it’s probably happening to others, or will happen to others. Here are some steps to take:
- Don’t react in anger. Keep your cool, as hard as that may be.
- Ask your supervisor not to speak to you in that manner.
- Talk to your NYSNA representative or delegate to develop an appropriate response.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment on the job is a crime. It is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It can take many forms, but it is harassment when submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
Sexual conduct is unwelcome whenever the person subjected to it considers it unwelcome.
If you are experiencing sexual harassment at the workplace, either from a supervisor or a colleague, contact your NYSNA rep or delegate right away.