the Zmwcript Workers say; complaints ignored Parents say union and airline may bear.some blame in woman's murder BOSTON (AP) Two women co-workers of a Northwest Airlines employee who was stabbed and beaten to death say airline officials ignored the victim's complaints of sexual harassment and threats by male co-workers. ' Susan Taraskiewicz was 27 when she was found dead in the trunk of her car in September 1992. Her murder remains unsolved. Her parents recently came forJ ward with their daughter's secret diary, which graphically describes the obscene name-calling, graffiti and phone calls she endured, at work and at home. The Tarask-icwiczes went public Wednesday about a complaint they filed in March with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The complaint alleges that the airline and the union failed to stop the abuse and instead, retaliated against their daughter after she complained. Ronald and Marlene Taraskiewicz said they believe that the airline's and union's lack of action may have contributed to their daughter's death. As part of the complaint, co workers of Susan Taraskiewicz submitted affidavits that detail how she. was singled out for harassment. Taraskiewicz was one of the first women to become an equipment service crew chief at the airline's Boston station. One affidavit said Taraskiewicz "was getting harassing phone calls at home. She was called ... every) derogatory name that you can imagine. At this same period she felt that there was someone outside her home during the evenings. Her sister's automobile was vandalized in the family driveway. ... She told me that she was afraid." Another affidavit said that Taraskiewicz "went into management frequently regarding the sexual harassment." But after Taraskiewicz complained about an incident of name-calling, she was "punished" by being assigned to working on truck used to empty airplane toilets, the affidavit said. ' Dcanna Hess, a vice president for Northwest Airlines in Minneapolis, said in a statement Thursday that Taraskiewicz never filed a formal complaint of harassment or discrimination with the company. . She said that Taraskiewicz did complain in 1989 about "sexually demeaning remarks" by two coworkers. Northwest fired the men, Hess said, but they appealed their termination through the union and were rehired under a "last chance" agreement. One has since been fired for unrelated misconduct. However, the parents' attorney, Herbert Holtz said the sexual harassment was part of a larger pattern of discrimination at Northwest. In order to become crew chief, Taraskiewicz had to file a grievance with the union becausfc the airline initially violated its own promotion rules and denied her the advancement, Holtz said. "She was particularly singled out, and I think it's because she was the one trying to pierce this glass ceiling," he said. "She became a lightning rod." The harassment, which included pornographic pictures, name-calling and obscene graffiti, became " worse alter she was promoted, Holtz said. A radio Taraskiewicz owned was smashed by one male employee, she was shoved to the ground by another, and she received obscene and threatening phone calls at home'. One day after she complained about being repeatedly called a profanity synonymous with female genitalia, her sister's car was smashed and its tires slashed, Holtz said. - ; One woman employee, who said the "hostile environment" still exists at Northwest's Boston station, said local union representatives "made it clear that we should not (rock) the boat." Marv Sandrin, general chairman of Machinists District 143 in Minneapolis, did not return telephone messages Thursday. Northwest is cooperating with police and has offered a Si 0,000 award for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her murderer, Hess said. The MCAD is reviewing airline and union motions to dismiss the complaint because Susan Taraskiewicz is dead and the complaint was filed more than six months after the alleged harassment.