Take a stand with the women of Mitsubishi

by Bob Anderson & Sharon Williams

This article was reprinted from the May 25, 1996 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

The Japanese term for living in harmony is "wa." Supervisors at the U.S. Assembly plant of Mitsubishi Motors, in Normal, Illinois, used this term when they disciplined a woman who spoke out against sexual harassment by male workers.

She protested being slapped on the buttocks by male employees. For protesting this behavior her supervisors wrote in her permanent employment record "she was not practicing wa."

The reality faced by the female workers today at the Mitsubishi plant where discrimination is openly tolerated by management may be the norm for all transnational corporations in the United States in the future. What will this mean for the rights of all workers in a time of global economic change under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?

Congress and the White House under NAFTA and GATT have given transnational corporations the opportunity to deregulate workplace health and safety, wages and environmental protections.

Women at Mitsubishi make a respectful $19 an hour, enough to make any blue-collar worker think twice about speaking out against management or other workers. The company warned their workers of job losses, effectively increasing division among workers on the job.

Mitsubishi organized a large rally of company employees at the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission in Chicago to step up the harassment of the women workers who filed charges against the company.

Men at the Mitsubishi plant are probably in fear of losing their jobs in this era of downsizing to robots and off shore production. Instead of uniting with the women for jobs for all, some men draw on sexism to divide our ranks further.

Here in Albuquerque, N.M. we have a positive model of how to fight this situation. Recently a group of workers successfully fought and won their rights when the community rallied in support. Mexican immigrant workers went on strike against Leatherback Industries this spring in response to deplorable working conditions. They were under constant threat from dangerous chemicals and other toxins. The factory conditions were so bad Leatherback would not allow workers to open the windows because the company was afraid of EPA sanctions.

The Leatherback workers had to go on strike. They asked the company for a contract written in Spanish, as well as other demands. The company refused.

Fortunately, workers and community activists from all parts of the city rallied in support. As a result, they won all of their demands after a long strike. The strike was so strong negotiations concluded after one day when the company caved in to their demands for a safe working environment and wage increases.

Dignity is the issue at both Mitsubishi and Leatherback. Victory in defense of our rights is possible when we unite. We urge everyone to stand with the women fighting sexual harassment. Living in harmony must include dignity as defined by American workers, not corporate management.

-Bob Anderson and Sharon Williams are New Mexico readers of the World.