Federal Agency Sues Mitsubishi for Sexual Harassment and Discrimination

04/11/96

The federal government's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a federal lawsuit against Mitsubishi Motors Manufacturing on Tuesday. The lawsuit is one of the biggest sexual harassment cases ever brought before the courts by the government. The EEOC charges that the Japanese automaker permitted an atmosphere that was hostile to women at their plant in Normal, Illinois, and that hundreds of women have been sexually harassed their since 1990.

Mitsubishi denied all charges. In 1994 the company was sued by 26 current and former female employees for incidences of harassment, assault and rape dating back to 1989. The EEOC's lawsuit coincides with the private law suit, but is separate. The company brushes the federal suit off as a continuation of charges raised by the private suit.

The suit seeks an injunction to stop alleged mistreatment of women at the factory and demands back pay with interest and benefits, and compensatory and punitive damages that could reach $300,000 per worker. The suit also seeks reinstatement of workers forced to leave involuntarily. The EEOC said that at least 100 female employees were interviewed about alleged harassment, and that as many as 700 workers may be eligible for damages.

The central Illinois plant opened in 1985 as a joint venture with Chrysler Corp. The plant employs 4,000 workers. The suit claims that women at the plant were routinely fondled and abused by low-level supervisors at the plant between 1990 and the present. Male co-workers allegedly referred to women employees as "sluts, whores, and bitches" and in one case a male worker fired an airgun between the legs of a female colleague. The suit says that some women felt compelled to quit, while others were denied promotion for refusing sexual favors to supervisors.

Paul Igasaki, Vice-Chairman of the EEOC, said that lawsuit against Mitsubishi could be the largest sexual harassment case ever brought by the commission. A suit that the commission brought against Bell Labs in New York was settled in August for $1.2 million. EEOC started the case in 1994. Talks with the company did not resolve the commission's concerns. A fifteen month investigation preceded the filing of the suit.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel