SAG-AFTRA is the latest organization to publish a code of conduct pertaining to sexual harassment and misconduct. Variety reports that the union introduced its Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment on Saturday night after a national board meeting. In addition to defining exactly what constitutes sexual harassment, the code outlines the “Four Pillars of Change,” guidelines on how SAG-AFTRA will fight the culture of harassment.
Sexual harassment “is conduct of a sexual nature that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work by creating a pervasive sexually hostile or offensive work environment,” the code stipulates. “It also occurs when a person’s submission to or rejection of sexually offensive and unwelcome conduct is used as the basis for an employment decision.” The code also describes three common types of workplace harassment: quid pro quo, hostile work environment, and retaliation.
“To truly change the culture we must be courageous and willing,” said SAG-AFTRA prez Gabrielle Carteris. “At its most basic, this Code will ultimately help better define what harassment is, and what members’ rights are in real world situations. 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,” added 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.”
The Four Pillars “encompasses steps that we believe will yield sustained improvements to the safety and treatment of our members as they work and pursue employment,” Carteris and White wrote in a letter to SAG-AFTRA members. The Pillars are rules and guidelines, empowerment through education, expanded intervention, and building bridges and safety nets.
“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,” Carteris explained of the Four Pillars.
SAG-AFTRA wrote the code amidst the onslaught of sexual harassment claims that have been made since the Harvey Weinstein revelations in October. “Carteris and White have said previously that the number of reports of sexual harassment that come into SAG-AFTRA have been averaging at least five a day — far above the level prior to October,” Variety notes.
Carteris in particular has been very vocal about harassment since then. She wrote a condemnation of Weinstein, has participated in panel discussions, and urged the AFL-CIO executive council and the Intl. Federation of Actors to do more to support victims of harassment.
Other organizations to release codes of conduct specifically concerning sexual harassment include the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and Screen Australia.
The entire Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment is available on SAG-AFTRA’s website, as is the letter to members from Carteris and White.
