Susan J. Thorn v. Amalgamated Transit Union Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1005

**Court Rules Against Worker in Union Harassment Case** Susan Thorn, a worker, sued her union (Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005) claiming sexual harassment and retaliation. She alleged the union harassed her and then retaliated against her for complaining about it. The court dismissed all of Thorn's claims against the union. For the harassment claims, the court found that Thorn failed to properly show that the union was legally responsible for the harassment. For the retaliation claims, the court ruled that Thorn couldn't prove the union actually took any harmful action against her because of her complaints. **What This Means for Workers:** This case shows that suing a union for harassment or retaliation can be challenging. Workers must prove two key things: first, that the union is legally responsible for any harassment (not just that harassment occurred), and second, that the union actually took concrete harmful actions in retaliation. Simply filing complaints isn't enough - workers need solid evidence that the union retaliated with specific adverse actions like firing, demotion, or other penalties. Workers facing similar issues should document everything and consider whether they have clear proof of both union responsibility and actual retaliation before pursuing legal action.