East Bay DSA’s Harassment and Grievance Process

Current Grievance Stewards: Yari G and Benny Z

Grievance Stewards are available to answer any questions you may have about grievances, and if you would like to initiate a grievance process, they will help you do that.

East Bay Democratic Socialists of America is committed to creating a space that is welcoming and inclusive to members of all genders, races, class backgrounds, and abilities. At our 2017 national DSA convention, we passed Resolution #33, which provides guidelines to ensure that everyone is able to organize without fear of harassment, abuse, or harm. The resolution also establishes a process to handle these types of charges between members. Additionally, East Bay DSA has a code of conduct that all members are expected to abide by.

If you have questions about the grievance process, if you have concerns about a potential violation of Resolution #33 or our Code of Conduct, or if you would like to initiate a grievance process, simply email our Grievance Stewards at [email protected].

Please note that, however you initiate the process, your information will remain confidential within the HGOs, Stewards, and currently elected Steering Committee, and will be kept confidential unless you authorize contact with any individuals or witnesses you name.

East Bay DSA’s Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs) are charged with implementing the National DSA Harassment Policy. They are appointed by the Steering Committee (SC) for one-year terms, and HGOs can serve no more than three terms in a row. HGOs are anonymous to prevent retaliation; their identity is known by the SC and the Grievance Stewards.

Members who file grievances will also have the option to identify an emotional support person of their choosing to accompany them through the grievance process and if they’d prefer to have a personal friend, comrade, or family member support them in lieu of a steward provided through the Chapter. This may include accompanying the grievant in meetings and interviews, though this support person would also be expected to respect the confidentiality of the process.

If you have further questions about East Bay DSA’s Harassment and Grievance Process, please consult our Grievance Handbook for more detailed information, or reach out to the stewards at [email protected] to set up a conversation.

We recommend East Bay DSA members avail themselves of our local grievance process, but to contact or confidentially report an instance of harm to the National Harassment Grievance Officer, email [email protected].