100 signatures reached
To: The Australian Federal Government
Ratify ILO C190 Violence and Harassment Convention now!
Eighteen months ago Australia supported the adoption of the International Labour Organisation’s Convention on Violence and Harassment (C 190), which recognises every worker’s fundamental right to be free from all forms of violence and harassment at work, including gender-based violence and harassment.
Yet the Morrison Government has not followed through on their commitment and has failed to ratify the Convention so it can become law in Australia.
Everyone has the right to a workplace free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.
The Australian Government must recognise that worker safety has never been more important. Help the CFMEU and MUA send a message loud and clear that the government must now ratify the ILO Convention so it can become law in Australia.
Why is this important?
This Convention is ground-breaking for many reasons, including that it:
• Protects against all forms of violence and harassment in the world of work, including during commuting to and from work, and through information and communications technologies;
• Protects all individuals in the world of work, irrespective of their contractual status, including volunteers, trainees and apprentices, and casuals;
• Recognises that family and domestic violence is a workplace issue and sets out specific measures that can be taken to protect workers;
• Recognises that workers in some sectors, such as health, transport, education, retail and hospitality, or those working at night or in isolated areas, may be more exposed to violence and harassment and need special protections.
Although violence and harassment in the workplace can be suffered by any worker, women are much more vulnerable to it and much more likely to experience it. These risks of violence and harassment have become more pronounced during the pandemic. Rates of domestic and family violence have spiked around the world in 2020, and large numbers of workers are being required to work from home, regardless of whether it’s a safe work environment for them.
Please tell the Attorney-General and Minister for Women to urgently commit to ratify C 190 to make workplaces healthy, safe and respectful for all of us.