National Organization for Women president Patricia Ireland and National Rainbow Coalition/PUSH founder Rev. Jesse Jackson have announced that they have called off their boycott of Mitsubishi which was inspired by widespread allegations of sexual harassment at the company’s Normal, Illinois plant. NOW, the Rainbow Coalition, the National Council of Negro Women and the National Minority Automobile Dealers came together with Mitsubishi on January 15 to announce the agreement. A prepared statement made by Jackson said the company has made a “commitment to end the hostile workplace environment for women and people of color, to pursue vigorously the resolution of this sex and race harassment crisis in Normal, Ill.” According to a statement prepared by Ireland, “With this commitment of Mitsubishi, we move from an adversarial and confrontational relationship to a partnership with the mutual goal of a model workplace and fair business practices.”
Twenty-nine women have filed a sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit against the company, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed another lawsuit on behalf of some 300 women who were allegedly fondled, propositioned, and threatened by male workers at the plant.
