Mitsubishi's hornets' nest

[Charlotte Kates <ckates@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>X-Sender: ksm@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 21:13:49 -0500
>To: labr.newsline%conf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>From: Scott Marshall <scott@xxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Mitsubishi's hornets' nest
>
>**Mitsubishi's hornets' nest**
>
>(Reprinted from the May 18, 1996 issue of the People's
>Weekly World. May be reprinted or reposted with PWW credit.
>For subscription information see below)
>
>By Herb Kaye
>
>When several hundred women autoworkers at Mitsubishi Motors
>in Normal, Ill. filed a sexual harassment suit against the
>company last month, the company responded with a public
>relations campaign that has aroused anger across the nation.
>
>Mitsubishi first denied that sexual harassment existed at
>its plant, then it organized a demonstration at the offices
>of the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission in downtown
>Chicago. The company brought 2,000 of its workers from the
>Normal plant who were given the day off with pay, a free
>lunch and bus transportation. Those who didn't or wouldn't
>join the protest had to explain to their supervisors why
>not, and the implication was clear that their jobs were on
>the line.
>
>That strategy of trying to "brazen-it-out," rather than
>working to settle the case, has now backfired into a
>mass boycott campaign against Mitsubishi, led by Rev. Jesse
>Jackson and Pat Ireland, president of National Organization
>for Women.
>
>The boycott began Saturday, May 11 with an informational
>picketline of more than 100 people at the Mitsubishi
>dealership in Oak Lawn, a suburb of Chicago. "We need to end
>the culture of sex discrimination and race discrimination,"
>said Jackson at the picket line. "We do not have to buy
>their product. This is a case where an international company
>- its board - is not obeying the law."
>
>When a Japanese radio reporter asked Jackson whether this
>was a case of "Japan-bashing" Jackson replied, "Mitsubishi
>cannot on the one hand blatantly attack women and not expect
>us to confront them. They accuse us of Asian bashing. That
>is a diversion."
>
>Mitsubishi will name former Labor Secretary Lynn Martin to
>head an investigation of the alleged sexual harassment, a
>source close to the case said May 14. Martin is a former
>Republican congresswoman.
>
>Thus far, two independent dealers have taken a stand against
>Mitsubishi, supporting settlement of the suit, while other
>dealers claim to be "caught in the middle." Billie Woodard,
>president of Chicago NOW, told them the dealership has the
>power to hold Mitsubishi responsible for its conduct. Such
>action could help force Mitsubishi to settle the lawsuit,
>she added.
>
>Mitsubishi is not one of the larger and more profitable
>Japanese auto companies, and it reported a loss of $307
>million for 1995 from its Normal plant. However, observers
>believe the company is digging itself even deeper in the
>hole by pursuing its present policy of confronting the EEOC
>and the United Auto Workers on the sexual harassment issue.
>UAW President Steve Yokich last week issued a statement
>criticizing the company for not dealing with the complaints
>of women workers and pledging the support of the union for
>their fight.
>##30##
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