The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) met on 6 December with Women’s Aid Federation NI to discuss how to work together to tackle domestic abuse in the workplace.
Opened by Justice Minister Claire Sugden, the event brought together organisations in Northern Ireland working to end domestic abuse and support those affected by it. The CEO of Women’s Aid Federation NI, Jan Melia, was there to talk about domestic abuse and the impact it has upon victims and their lives.
The purpose of the seminar was to:
- highlight the impact of domestic and sexual violence generally and particularly in the workplace
- explain why this is a trade union issue and a workplace issue
- hear about the legislative changes being made in Wales, the new duties on the public sector and the work of the National Advisor
- listen to practice being undertaken by trade unions and allies, including WAFNI, NEXUS and Belfast Area domestic abuse Partnership
Also in attendance were Nexus, NIPSA, and Belfast Area domestic abuse Partnership, among others. The seminar focused on how organisations can work in partnership to tackle domestic abuse in the workplace and presented ideas for good practice in terms of policy at both a government and workplace level.