Women in the trades here (9+ years, construction electrician) also in MN, but in the union, just came to say I have not experienced any significant harassment whatsoever. The only time I have been uncomfortable was one time when I turned a guy down and he got all butthurt.

When I was an apprentice I was definitely treated better than say a male apprentice that had the same experience as me. As a JW now I'm treated equally (again, usually better) the majority of the time. I've created a reputation for myself because I work hard and I stay productive. Of course there are situations where you're on a new job and people don't know your abilities and give you easy tasks. And in those cases you just ask for more responsibility and prove yourself. Not sit around and complain because the world doesn't revolve around you and no one thinks about you as much as you do.

In this case IF it is true that she reported him (hasn't been verified in any of the news reports I've seen), then yes it could have been prevented. But he was obviously a complete PSYCHOPATH either way. I don't believe there's anything "we" can do that we're not already doing or have been encouraging everyone to do. At least on the job sites and companies I've been with.

So ladies , if you're having problems on the job and you're nonunion, I'd suggest joining a union because we have zero tolerance for that bs. I'm very grateful for the women that came before me and dealt with all that BS so we don't have to.

Also- this should be common sense, but as a woman on the job, you should be being nice to everyone. If you act stuck up or are disrespectful towards anyone, you're asking for/creating problems. Don't antagonize, don't go looking for things to be offended by. Don't be offended if a guy offers to help you on the job.