SAG-AFTRA Saturday; February 10th released a Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment as part of a broader program to protect its members and to confront harassment and advance equity in the workplace.
Leading with a Call to Action to its 160,000 members and the entertainment, music and media industries, the Code defines sexual harassment and details what constitutes a hostile work environment, retaliation, and other types of prohibited conduct.
The Code sets forth employers’ legal obligations under both the union’s contracts and the law, including the need to provide reporting mechanisms through which members can report instances of sexual harassment.
The Code also sets forth clear expectations that SAG-AFTRA members will refrain from engaging in harassing conduct.
“To truly change the culture we must be courageous and willing. At its most basic, this Code will ultimately help better define what harassment is, and what members’ rights are in real world situations,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “We are going further, however, with the launch of our Four Pillars of Change initiative to achieve safe workplaces and advance equity.”
“This initiative provides a critical framework for our collective efforts to further strengthen protections for SAG-AFTRA members who experience harassment in the workplace,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White. “Our comprehensive approach ensures that we stay focused on providing members with clear information, making training available that is relevant and practical, and working with industry partners to expand our tools to intervene and support victims of workplace harassment and assault. We are very excited to engage in this effort.”
SAG-AFTRA’s Four Pillars of Change initiative represents the union’s overall approach to combat harassment, empower members to support each other, expand intervention efforts and pursue solutions for victims and survivors of harassment and assault.
The union is also working on additional documents to provide practical guidance in both work and non-work settings in which harassment is known to frequently occur.
The Four Pillars of Change include sections on Rules and Guidelines, Empowerment Through Education, Expanded Intervention efforts, and Building Bridges and Safety Nets. Together, these programs form a collective approach that provides a comprehensive set of tools and information to confront harassment and advance equity in the workplace.
Carteris added. “This initiative gives members a clear understanding of their workplace rights and provides reliable guidance for members to navigate the unique environments of the entertainment, music and media industries.”
The release of the code follows a period in which American film industry has been rocked by sexual harassment allegations where actresses have accused industry leading directors and actors of sexual misconduct. It is thus hoped the release of the code will help eradicate sexual harassment in the industry.