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147 6 Hard Work, Humor, and Harassment Accusations of sexual harassment in the Powder River Basin coal mines are rare but unforgettable occasions for everyone involved. At only two points during my employment and research at six different mines did the crew I was working with or observing label an action sexual harassment. One of them involved a thirty-something equipment operator named Rick, whose high regard for his own abilities operating equipment outstripped his experience actually doing so in a mine. The more experienced members of his crew grumbled that he was a “fine construction worker”: he could make the machinery do exactly what he wanted it to do, but lacked the wisdom to appreciate the larger context of how quick-fix decisions would adversely affect their activities months down the road when it would take extra effort to build ramps, establish the correct grade for a shovel, or begin a new pit. One morning while the crew was informally socializing before the start of shift, he announced, “Women should mind their men.” His closest friend guffawed loudly, while coworkers spread out among the tables conspicuously ignored him, either by continuing their conversations or reading their newspapers. Daisy, the only woman present, found herself at a loss for words, interpreting his comment as a statement that she did not belong in the mine. “It was pretty much an insult to my own skills as an operator,” she explained to me later that day when we were alone in the haul truck she normally drove. The comment was particularly hurtful to her because she took pride in her work ethic and the positive relationships she had formed with her coworkers. In fact, Rick’s comment surprised her; she thought they were on ttttttu 148 • Undoing gender at Work good terms since they were comfortable joking with one another. In defending himself to those who approached him over the next few hours, Rick claimed that he was simply referring to a sermon given by his church’s preacher the previous Sunday and that he did not intend to direct his comment at Daisy. Daisy did not report the incident to their supervisor primarily because she wanted to handle her own business without involving management. Later that day a group of her male coworkers took matters into their own hands and reported it to the supervisor, who had been in his own office when the incident occurred. As they discussed their reasoning with other people around the mine and me over the shift and next few days, they said that they did so to support Daisy, but also to teach Rick a lesson. “He’s always running his mouth,” explained Lance. “He’s either bragging about picking up women at the bar, using them, and then dumping them, or he’s trash talking somebody out here. It’s disgusting.” People on his crew were frustrated because their own attempts to encourage Rick to modify his behavior had been unsuccessful. Because his history of offensive comments did not violate company policy, but rather trampled the crew’s expectations for the treatment of coworkers, they had few options to force him to change his habits. The miners quickly and astutely noted, however, that his comment about women minding their men fell under the company’s sexual harassment policy, giving them an opportunity to subject him to formal sanction. Rick received a lecture from the supervisor that afternoon. At their meeting the next morning, Rick stood in front of the room, shoved his hands into the pockets of his Wrangler jeans, and offered what most interpreted to be a heartfelt apology to Daisy and the entire crew for both the specific comment and his longer history of being inconsiderate. When he raised his eyes to meet the gaze of the people he had offended, they gave him a quick nod and he returned to his regular seat. Over the next month, Daisy and Rick gradually returned to their normal joking routine, which typically included bodily humor and sexual banter. Incidents such as these raise a number of intriguing questions. Under what circumstances do men and women label interactions as sexual harassment rather than as entertaining teasing or mere annoyance? What is the significance of men turning in reports of harassment on the behalf of women who do not request or especially desire for them to do so? In this chapter I approach these questions by embedding accusations of sexual harassment—a crucial arena in which...

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