Former aircraft cleaner files sexual harassment complaint

A 22-year-old former employee of a Logan Airport subcontractor that cleans airliners filed a discrimination complaint Monday alleging she was sexually harassed by a supervisor and unjustly fired when she turned down his unwanted advances.

Rosa Morban, who lost her job with ReadyJet this year, said her supervisor exposed himself to her, made inappropriate comments and would try to corner her alone so he could harass her.

Speaking in Spanish through an interpreter, Morban said when she tried to speak up about it, another manager refused to take her seriously and joked that she would probably end up marrying her supervisor.

"I was always made to feel that my word had no value, that what was important to me was not important to them, that they would do nothing and nothing would happen to them," she said in an interview following a press conference Monday.

A voice message left with ReadyJet early Monday wasn't returned.

Morban, who filed her complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, is the fourth worker from the company to bring similar charges, according to the airport workers' union 32BJ SEIU, which is representing her.

One of the four workers inspired the others when she spoke out against harassment in the service worker industry as a guest of Democratic U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark at the State of the Union Address, in January. The woman has since settled her complaint, the union said.

Clark said Monday that the #MeToo movement — which has brought to light sexual misconduct by powerful men in the political arena and film industry— also extends to service industry workers.

"Whatever race, income level or job you have, you have a right to have a safe working environment," said Clark, who joined Morban and union members when she announced her complaint.

Morban said when she threatened to report her supervisor, he suggested that no one would believe her word over his. She said the support of the union and her co-workers has given her the strength to break her silence now.

"Having support from all of you gives me the courage to demand the respect I deserve," she said.

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