Workplace Discrimination: How Unions Can Help

By Anti-Discrimination Board

Trade unions can play an important role in assisting their members to combat discrimination and harassment in the workplace

They can also be held responsible if a union representative aids or abets discrimination or harassment, or fails to take action to prevent it. It is therefore very important that union representatives are fully informed about their responsibilities under discrimination law. In general employers are liable for any discrimination or harassment that occurs in their workplace, unless they can show that they took 'all reasonable steps' to prevent it occurring. Unions and their officials must also be aware of their responsibilities, and this article outlines those.

(Anti Discrimination board of NSW. Equal Time. no. 56, May 2003)