November 17, 2009: Helen Green, the president of Las Vegas Teamster Local 995, has filed suit in federal court, charging that the Local 995 secretary-treasurer demanded that she continue a sexual relationship with him to keep her job as a business agent.

The sexual harassment suit was filed on Nov. 12 against Local 995, Joint Council 42 and the International Union. The basis of her claim against Joint Council 42 and the IBT is that last February she notified Jim Santangelo, then the president of JC 42 and an International Vice President, of the harassment, but he refused to take action. Her suit alleges that Santangelo offered to help her only if she withdrew the complaint she had filed with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.

Joint Council 42 recently paid $500,000 in September to settle a sexual harassment suit which included very serious allegations against Santangelo. He was driven from office in October. Further lawsuits may be filed by other women with similar allegations.

It’s time for our union leadership to stand up for our best Teamster principles, and to adopt a zero tolerance attitude toward this kind of behavior.

A copy of the lawsuit complaint is available here.

A news article in the Las Vegas Review Journal is available here.