CUNA Executive Charged In EmploymentCase

MADISON, Wis. - (07/17/06) -- A former CUNA employee chargedduring an administrative hearing last week before the stateemployment panel he was fired by the trade association afterreporting sexist, racist and homophobic remarks allegedly made byJohn Franklin, CUNA’s chief financial officer. The MadisonEqual Employment Opportunity commission began a four-day hearingTuesday to decide the merits of a complaint filed against the CUNAby its former senior vice president, Michael Miller. Miller, whowas hired at CUNA in 1996, and promoted to senior vice presidentfor association services in January 2004. claims he received nocomplaints about his job performance prior to reportingFranklin’s behavior to superiors. The complaint claimsFranklin "made numerous sexually and racially derogatory remarks,as well as derogatory remarks about the sexual orientation ofothers or what he perceived to be the sexual orientation ofothers." Miller said during last week’s hearing thatemployees complained to him about "the hostile effect it had ontheir working environment." Franklin, who served as president ofthe South Carolina CU League prior to going to work at CUNA in2004, said during the hearing he was shocked when he learned of thecomplaint and made no recommendation to fire Miller.