Research from the UK’s peak union body, the TUC provides a powerful and important insight into the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans plus (LGBT+) workers of bullying, harassment and discrimination at work. The polling undertaken for this research complements the TUC’s qualitative report Being LGBT+ at Work and helps to underline the lack of progress in eradicating the unfair and discriminatory treatment that the LGBT+ community face in workplaces.
The TUC captured data on experiences of being bullied due to sexual orientation or gender identity, the prevalence of verbal abuse and physical violence, as well as behavioural unfair treatment, like being excluded from meetings or made uncomfortable at work.
The findings are stark. Over half of respondents told the TUC that they had experienced at least one form of bullying or harassment at work in the last five years. Approximately one in five respondents (19 per cent) had been exposed to verbal abuse about LGBT+ people in the workplace. And one in 20 respondents (5 per cent) said that they had experienced physical violence, threats and intimidation because they are lesbian, gay, bi or trans. These findings mean that it is unsurprising to see that more than a quarter of LGBT 1 people (29 per cent) aren’t open with anyone at work.
Feedback about the role unions play in supporting LGBT+ workers was positive, with just under half (45 per cent), of the respondents saying their union supported them as a lesbian, gay, bi or trans person and only one in 50 (2 per cent) saying their union was not supportive of them as a lesbian, gay, bi or trans person.
Union members are also more likely to feel confident that any complaints or grievances would be taken seriously. This adds further proof to existing evidence that every LGBT+ worker should be in a union. However the TUC found that young LGBT workers, in keeping with wider trends, are less likely to be in a union, and therefore less likely to have the option of union support in challenging or reporting bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Read more, and download the full report: Bullying, harassment and discrimination of LGBT people in the workplace | TUC.