SMART expands the I Got Your Back Campaign — “Speak Up, Speak Out” 

May 6, 2024

Home>News>Front Page>SMART expands the I Got Your Back Campaign — “Speak Up, Speak Out” 

In 2021, SMART launched the I Got Your Back Campaign, which celebrates the many great mentors and allies in our membership and reinforces member solidarity throughout our great union. Today, SMART announced the expansion of the I Got Your Back Campaign — “Speak Up, Speak Out.”  

We seek to create and reinforce a culture where members Speak Up, Speak Out when they see something wrong. Therefore, we ask every member to do the following:  

  1. If you witness a fellow member being bullied, harassed, discriminated against or mistreated on the job, please Speak Up, Speak Out.  
  2. If you are being bullied, harassed, discriminated against or mistreated on the job, please Speak Up, Speak Out if you are comfortable doing so, or ask a trusted ally for help.  

What does it mean to Speak Up, Speak Out? This can take many forms depending on the situation:  

  • Ask the offender to stop. Here are some examples of things you can say: “This needs to stop right now.” “This is wrong, and you need to stop.” “This is not right. Leave [name] alone.” 
  • Ask the individual if they are okay and if they would like to report this incident. Emphasize that they did not deserve to be treated this way and that you have their back. 
  • Approach other bystanders and encourage them to Speak Up, Speak Out. Every voice matters, and there is power in numbers.  
  • If you are not comfortable saying something in the moment, you can report the incident to your union representative or the employer.

In turn, we ask all of our union officials to commit to the following: 

  1. Ensure each of our members receives the best quality union representation when they are facing harassment, bullying, discrimination or mistreatment on the job. 
  2. Ensure there is no retaliation for speaking up and reporting an issue. Communicate repeatedly with your members that retaliation is not tolerated, ask members to report retaliation if it occurs, and take swift and decisive action if a member is retaliated against for speaking up.  

This campaign expansion is designed to encourage our members to intervene when bullying or harassment occurs on the jobsite with the same sense of urgency as if a fellow member were facing unsafe work conditions. We believe the expansion of the I Got Your Back Campaign will help ensure this practice becomes universal throughout our union.