Sometimes, our students write books! ??
Educator, Restorative Justice Facilitator, Conflict Manager, Investigator, Labor Lawyer, Writer, Mentor
I'm excited to announce the release of my new book, "Solidarity Betrayed: How Unions Enable Sexual Harassment--and How They Can Do Better.” I wrote the book as a “tough love” letter to the labor movement, urging unions to confront the failure to address sexual harassment head-on so that we can build a labor movement that truly lives up to its ideals of equality, dignity, and respect for all workers. The book includes the voices of courageous unionists who were abandoned or betrayed by their unions at a time when they needed collective protection from sexual harassment. I talk about the failures of leadership–in the US and elsewhere–and how law and masculinist culture enable unions’ weak or non-response to harassment. I’ve also included examples of positive steps unions are taking–most notably, the janitors’ local in California, United Service Workers West.? I conclude with strategies that unions can implement to tackle sexual harassment head-on, including following the lead of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which long ago developed an inspirational and successful worker-led effort to combat sexual harassment. My hope is that the book starts a conversation about how unions can create safer workplaces, build stronger solidarity, and ultimately become more effective advocates for all workers.