The #MeToo Revolution Edtorial

http://solidarity-us.org/atc/192/p5170/
Date Written:  2018-01-01
Publisher:  Against the Current
Year Published:  2018
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX23310

The editors ask whether the #MeToo Movement will be different than other moments in which sexual abuse was revealed, and propose that organized labour can play a role in ensuring harassment-free work enviroments.

Abstract: 
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Excerpts:

We think yes, that this time the level of consciousness and solidarity is deeper. It's not just high-profile powerful male celebrities who have been exposed. Sexual abuse is a much broader issue in workplaces throughout society, where victims and survivors risk their jobs, careers and economic survival if they dare to speak out. And organized labor can play a big role in demanding a harassment-free environment, merging this movement with the struggle for decent wages.

That's why the statement that Latina farmworkers from the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas wrote for the November 12 "Take Back the Workplace" march in Los Angeles hits the nail on the head.

"We write on behalf of the approximately 700,000 women who work in the agricultural fields and packing sheds across the United States. For the past several weeks we have watched and listened with sadness as we have learned of the actors, models and other individuals who have come forward to speak out about the gender based violence they've experienced at the hands of bosses, coworkers and other powerful people in the entertainment industry. We wish that we could say we're shocked to learn that this is such a pervasive problem in your industry. Sadly, we're not surprised because it’s a reality we know far too well. Countless farmworker women across our country suffer in silence because of the widespread sexual harassment and assault that they face at work.

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