Mitsubishi, 29 Women Agree on Mediation

WASHINGTON — Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America Inc. and private lawyers representing 29 women who allege they were sexually harassed at its Illinois auto plant are taking their dispute to mediation to try to resolve it.

In a joint statement issued Tuesday by Mitsubishi, attorneys for the company and for the plaintiffs said they hope "this process will lead to a fair and rapid resolution of the lawsuit." The statement said that both sides would decline to comment further on the mediation effort.

The private lawsuit, which was filed in 1994, alleged that the female workers were groped, grabbed, menaced and pressured for sex and that they suffered retaliation if they complained.

In April 1996, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a separate suit, the biggest sexual harassment case in its history, alleging that hundreds of female workers had received similar treatment at the Mitsubishi factory.