Code of Conduct for TWC London

Below is a summary of TWC London’s Code of Conduct (points 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 17). The full Code of Conduct is here.

1. London Tech Workers Coalition Mission Statement

We are a coalition of workers, labour organisers, community organisers, and friends in and around the tech industry. We organise for activism, civic engagement, direct action, and education around the world. We work in solidarity with existing movements towards social justice, workers’ rights, and economic inclusion. We exist to organise, educate, and build solidarity between tech workers, labour organisers and activists in order to improve the conditions of all workers. Our vision is to utilise tech worker power, to raise class consciousness for the end of tech-enabled oppression and exploitation of all workers.

2. What is this document for?

This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for all those who participate in our community, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behaviour. This Code of Conduct and its related procedures also extend to unacceptable behaviour occurring outside the scope of community activities when such behaviour has the potential to adversely affect the safety and well-being of community members.

3. Who is this for?

The Code of Conduct applies to:

• Members of the London TWC.
• Partners and collaborators.
• Guests.

4. Where does this apply?

The following is not an exhaustive list of where the Code of Conduct applies, but intended for guidance:

• Meetings (virtual or in-person).
• Slack discussion channels.
• Social media (e.g. posts, comments).
• TWC events.
• One-on-one interactions between TWC members / partners & collaborators / guests, or interactions pertaining to community business.

It’s expected that members of TWC behave in ways that uphold our values inside and outside contexts associated with TWC.

6. Forbidden Behaviour

As a coalition of workers coming from many backgrounds, TWC is focussed on providing a space, regardless of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion or lack thereof, etc.

We do not tolerate harassment in any form by members, partners, collaborators, or guests, including:

• Violence or threats of violence.
• Language which is racist, sexist/misogynist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, fatphobic, derogatory against protected characterics, etc.
• Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, etc.
• Sexual language or imagery.
• Intimidation, stalking, or following.
• Unwelcome photography or recording.
• Sustained disruption of meetings, discussions, or other events.
• Inappropriate physical contact.
• Invasion of personal space.
• Unwelcome sexual attention.
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviour.

As an activist organisation, TWC advocates for the disenfranchised and will privilege their needs. Accountability reps first priority is to protect those at more risk of being materially disadvantaged, e.g. systematically marginalised, losing their jobs for their activism, etc.

7. How is this Code of Conduct enforced?

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. We operate by a 2 strike policy and these are on the basis of instances of behaviour.

• 2 strike (1 incident with warning. If done again, you’re out)
  • In effect for? Year-long exclusion (removed from meetings, banned from future events, removed from Slack, blocked on Twitter, etc.); return on condition of agreement amongst accountability reps; after returning, the perpetrator will be subject to a single strike policy. This incident will be reported to the global TWC organisers.
• Outside of TWC associated spaces
  • Please do raise issues to the accountability reps about issues relating to past behaviours outside of TWC contexts. People who have demonstrated prior behaviour that would have contravened our Code of Conduct will be given 1 strike.

17. Contact Information

If you have access to the Slack, please follow the pinned thread in #local-uk-london and DM one of the listed Accountability Contacts.

Otherwise, please email techworkersldn@protonmail.com.