LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) – A group of women claim they were sexually harassed at work and that they were retaliated against after for speaking out. Now, they’ve taken their fight online to get their former boss fired.
The women started an online petition asking people to help put a stop to what they claim is sexual harassment at a popular pizza place.
“It’s very uncomfortable,” Toni Chacon, a Domino’s Pizza employee, told KRQE News 13.
“This kind of stuff shouldn’t be happening at work,” said Nalleli Reyes-Garcia, also a Domino’s Pizza employee.
The two women said they don’t know where else to turn. Both worked as delivery drivers at Domino’s Pizza in Los Lunas and claim their assistant manager sexually harassed women.
“He’s made comments about rape fantasies,” said Chacon. “He would say stuff like about women’s breasts, about their butt,” she went on.
However, Chacon claims it wasn’t just words that made her uncomfortable. “He’s squeezed my sides saying ‘giggity, giggity,’ and he’ll walk away and he’ll turn around and wink,” Chacon told KRQE News 13.
She said she’s filed complaints with upper management, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to no avail.
“I’m being harassed, I’m being humiliated, and I’m pretty much being told to shut up,” said Chacon.
Nalleli Reyes-Garcia said she too has witnessed the harassment.
“I heard this individual say he was only going to be hiring women after checking how hot they looked on their Facebook,” she said.
Reyes-Garcia claims she also witnessed the supervisor make a 19-year-old employee uncomfortable, by putting his arms around her. “It angered me so much you know, because she’s so young,” said Reyes-Garcia.
KRQE News 13 called the accused assistant manager directly.
“We wanted to give you every opportunity to say your side,” reporter Gabrielle Burkhart, told the supervisor over the phone.
The accused assistant manager told KRQE News 13 he’d like to comment, but isn’t allowed to do so. He provided a phone number for an area supervisor, but KRQE News 13 did not receive a call back by air time Monday night.
The women said before anybody new works at the location, they want the public to know their side of what went on inside the store.
The workers created an online petition asking people to support the firing of this manager and put a stop to sexual harassment at work.
After filing complaints, the women said they were the ones being punished.
“I went from working 28 plus hours to two hours a week and it’s been like that for about the last month,” said Chacon.
Chacon said the stress at work has added to her anxiety and she’s currently seeing a counselor.
Reyes-Garcia said she accepted an option to transfer stores. She now commutes 45 minutes to Albuquerque for work.
“I’m a full time student and I do rely on this job,” said Reyes-Garcia. “We took a huge risk speaking up and they retaliated like that against us.”
Reyes-Garcia and Chacon claim there are other employees who were fired after speaking out.
By Monday night, their online petition showed nearly 200 supporters. The women plan on delivering the petition to the store’s owner at some point.
The petition asks for the Los Lunas Domino’s assistant manager to be fired and that upper management take sexual harassment training.
