In 1974, the government required that steel companies hire women and minorities. This included the Eveleth Iron Mining co. This was the immediate start of the first class action suit by women claiming sexual harassment, abuse, and violence against women in the workplace. The case was Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co.
As women who were looking for good paying jobs to support their families, some brave women went to work for Eveleth Taconite Co. These women had no idea of the stress, harassment, humiliation and intimidation they were going to face. The men who worked for the mining company highly resented women taking good paying jobs from men. In their view, women should be staying at home, cooking, cleaning and raising children. These women really had no choice. Some were single mothers or the main breadwinner of the household. They needed good paying jobs every bit as much as the men.
Lois Jenson was one of the first women to go to work for the Eveleth Taconite Co. and became a member of the union workers. Right from the start she was a target of sexual harassment. Lois and the other women were victims of stalking, groping, and threats of rape and physical violence. Another problem that the women faced was the lack of bathroom facilities. They often weren’t near a bathroom and some developed urinary problems from holding their urine for extended periods of time.
Lois Jenson filed numerous complaints with management, the union and the mine owners regarding the abuse the women were subjected to. All wanted these women to quit, so all of her complaints were ignored or even sneered at. Eventually, Jenson filed a complaint to the Human Rights of Minnesota office. The state ordered Ogelby Norton to pay $11,000 to Jenson and form sexual harassment policies. The Eveleth Taconite Co. refused to follow the states orders.
Finally, in desperation, in 1988 Jenson hired private attorneys Paul Springer and Jean Boler to file a complaint. Jenson was joined by Pat Kosmach and one other woman to make it a class action lawsuit. Unfortunately, Pat Kosmach would die from Lou Gehrig’s disease before the lawsuit was settled.
Not all women supported the lawsuit. They feared for their jobs and the intimidation on the job became even worse. It became so unbearable that Jenson was under so much mental stress that she quit working at the mine.
During the trial the women were subjected to intensive and invasion of their privacy. Questions were asked about their pasts regarding former relationships. Their former sexual pasts were put on display. There were accusations that their behavior had caused the problems of harassment. They were accused of lying about the effects the harassment had on their physical and mental health.
After years of fighting in court the women finally got their verdict. Their case was settled on Dec 31, 1988 for $3.5 million. Not all women received the same amount. Each case was judged separately with some receiving more than others. But most important for the women was that the company had to have and enforce a no harassment policy. This policy protected the women from the abuse they had been dealing with. They could keep their jobs without the fear of harassment and violence. They had won the right to be respected.
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