3rd woman accuses film union’s ex-leader of harassment
A former film union employee has filed a lawsuit accusing former union leader Jon B. Hendry of sexual harassment, wrongful discharge and a host of other bad acts, some of which she claims violate the New Mexico Human Rights Act.
Hendry, a politically connected advocate for the union representing film and television crews around New Mexico, resigned as the union’s business agent in March after two other women accused him of sexual harassment, including an explicit quid pro quo for sex.
Michelle Labounty claims in a suit filed Thursday in state District Court in Santa Fe that during the one-year period she worked for the International Alliance of Theatrical State Employees Local 480 — which is also named as a defendant — Hendry “continually sexually harassed and intimidated [her] with inappropriate conditions to maintain employment.”
He pressured her to share a hotel room on a business trip “saying it was to save the money and criticizing her as not being ‘cool’ or ‘rockn-roll’ for not complying,” according to the complaint; pressured her to share a bed with him in Austin, Texas, telling her “nothing would happen,” and pressured her to wear a “revealing ‘groupie’ outfit” he bought for her.
The woman says Hendry also pressured her to take a spa bath with him during an overnight trip to Truth or Consequences and retaliated against her for rejecting his advances by refusing to pay her overtime, “despite requiring her to work as much as 90 hours per week.”
Labounty, who according to her lawsuit is from Santa Fe, also claims Hendry took photographs of her and sent them to other union leaders while bragging about his “hot … blonde” assistant and bragged in her presence about how he “ruins women and men in the business if he decides they are ‘out.’ ”
Hendry did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Friday. Labounty’s attorney, Trent A. Howell, declined to comment on the case, as did the woman who answered the phone at the union offices.
Labounty also says in her complaint that Hendry directed her to do grocery shopping for former state Sen. Phil Griego and said he could not be seen near Griego’s offices. Griego since has been sent to prison on corruption charges including bribery and fraud.
She also claims Hendry made her withdraw money from her own account to pay for a radio ad against a candidate for public office, telling her there could be no paper trail connecting him to the ad.
The woman says in her complaint that high-ranking union officials including Local 480 President Doug Acton observed the misconduct and took no action to correct Hendry.
“To the contrary,” her complaint says, “Mr. Acton smiled approvingly while Hendry made the inappropriate remarks and demands to Ms. Labounty.” The complaint also says other managers observed Hendry’s behavior and still allowed him to retain a place of authority, which he used to retaliate against her and other women who declined his sexual demands.
Acton did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Friday.
Labounty said Hendry made her work conditions so intolerable that she was compelled to resign and when she did so, Hendry retaliated, “blackballing her in the same way she had overheard him blackball other women in the industry.”
She seeks an unspecified amount of back pay, punitive damages and legal costs.