Former BIW worker settles harassment suit

BATH – A former Bath Iron Workers employee has settled a sexual discrimination and harassment lawsuit against the shipyard. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Gail Andretta of Bath sued the shipyard last October, saying she was assaulted twice in 1996 by a paint department co-worker and again in 2000 by a supervisor who knew about the earlier incident.

The settlement followed U.S. Magistrate Judge David Cohen’s decision in April to deny Bath Iron Works’ request for a dismissal.

Charles March, Andretta’s attorney, called the resolution amicable. A spokeswoman for the shipyard declined to comment.

Andretta worked at Bath Iron Works from April 1982 to June 2000. She reported the 1996 incidents to her supervisors, but Cohen found that company officials failed to take prompt action.

“The offending employee was not disciplined and remained in the same department, where he frequently came into contact with Andretta,” Cohen noted.

Andretta was again assaulted in February 2000 by her lead supervisor, the judge wrote. Cohen found that Andretta reported the second incident to her department head and asked not to be placed near the supervisor.

The assault was not reported by the department head to his superiors, and Andretta continued to suffer harassment by her supervisor, the judge wrote.