Stopping the Train: The Landmark Victory Over Same-Sex Sexual Harassment in the Workplace [Hardcover]

Edwin B., Jr. Martin (Author), Richard N. Cote (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1929175086 | ISBN-13: 978-1929175086 | Publication Date: October 21, 1999 | Edition: 1st

The chilling and inspiring story of Edwin B. Martin, Jr., the first man in the U.S. to receive a settlement based on the Supreme Court's decision that same-sex sexual harassment in the workplace is actionable under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Includes an appendix of resources for victims of sexual harassment.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

A disturbing, though overwrought, odyssey through same-sex harassment in the workplace, in this case the improbable, dangerous setting of an Alabama railroad yard. Martin was a third-generation railroad man, with 14 years on the job on the Norfolk Southern line, when his position in South Carolina was eliminated and he was offered a promotion and transfer to the high-volume Birmingham yard. Because he thought tradition and the works inherent stress had made the railroad an amiable fraternity, he was shocked to find hostility, expressed by three workers in grossly sexual terms. The harassment followed a well-established pattern, both in its escalation and in the futility of Martins complaints to supervisors, and when he finally filed a lawsuit, his confidentiality was breached and he ultimately became a pariah at work after the union employed heavy-handed tactics to protest the harassers termination. Martins detailed narrative shows how, despite nightmares and social paranoia ultimately diagnosed as PTSD, he rebuilt his life with the aid of a woman he met and married in Birmingham. When Martins case came to trialat the same time as a more widely reported case stemming from same-sex harassment on an offshore oil righe emerged triumphant with a six-figure settlement despite a hostile judge and a phalanx of opposing attorneys whose defense largely consisted of distraction and smear tactics. Martin is an enthusiastic but trying author, resorting frequently to purple similes, repetitive emotional rhetoric, and a general air of strident alarm (e.g., a chapter titled The Diesel Shop of Horrors). For all his hand-wringing, however, he offers a telling account of the world of contemporary railroading, evoking both its romance and its potential terrors. Indisputably an important window into a little-discussed social abuse, fed here by gender and class volatility and contemporary blue-collar angst. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

A must-read for both men and women working in an environment where sexual harassment has been taking place. Readers obtain an intimate look into Martin's life before, during, and after his experience of sexual harassment. This book offers valuable information and support for an employee to read before filing a sexual harassment lawsuit. -- Gary Vikesland, M.A., L.P., C.E.A.P., Licensed Psychologist and Certified Employee Assistance Counselor

The book explodes the myth that sexual harassment is a male-to-female issue.... Martin does a good job of weaving the story of his job stress with the stress on his personal life.... Edwin Martin gives us the gift of his story. Let us learn from it so that we may avoid the hell that he had to endure. It is as close as you will ever want to come to sexual harassment! -- Riley Harvill, Ph.D., sexual harassment expert and co-founder of The HarBeck Company, Inc., Dallas, TX

The book is detailed and graphic enough to make the issue believable, but does not sensationalize or cheapen what martin endured. Martin has written an accessible book for the man who is experiencing this form of mistreatment, his partner, and his therapist. All would benefit from reading about Mr. Martin's ordeal. -- Mic Hunter, Ph. D., Director, National Organization on Male Sexual Victimization, in the NOMSV Newsletter, Fall 1999.

This book provides a very insightful contribution to the sexual harassment literature. It should be of interest to mental health professionals who work with clients who have been the targets of sexually harassing behavior.... For professionals concerned with organizational behavior, this book should serve as a wake-up call that they should be concerned with men's experiences as well as women's experiences of sexual harassment. -- John B. Pryor, Ph. D., Professor of Psychology, Illinois State University

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 173 pages
• Publisher: Corinthian Books; 1st edition (October 21, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929175086
• ISBN-13: 978-1929175086
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,928,327 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A warning for human resources directors at all companies!, October 29, 1999

By 

James H. Stock, Jr., (Weintraub, Stock, Benne... (Memphis, Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stopping the Train: The Landmark Victory Over Same-Sex Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (Hardcover)

There are usually two sides to every story. However, as a labor and employment lawyer who represents management, it is difficult for me to see how an investigation into the fact pattern presented by Mr. Martin could have resulted in anything short of an apology and compensation for the egregious conduct of his supervisors and certain co-workers. Of course, when the US Supreme Court opened the door for some clear guidance on same-sex sexual harassment, the victory for Mr. Martin was all but assured. Nonetheless, the book's riveting account of Mr. Martin's courage to stand up to the system, prior to the precedent impact of the Supreme Court's decision, is a reminder to us all that right is right and wrong is simply wrong!

I would encourage corporate America to read and digest the issues which Mr. Martin raises, not only in the isolated same-sex harassment arena, but for an education into the mindset of a tenacious plaintiff who is willing to risk all for the sake of a belief that he was wronged by a company and organization to which he gave his all, and most of a career. This book, then, is a warning and an education for human resources directors at all companies. Such a story of harm and betrayal at the hands of a man's employer may encourage others similarly situated to fight, but if the proper lessons are learned, Mr. Martin's narrative may do well to prevent such from happening!

Sincerely,

James H. Stock, Jr.
Weintraub, Stock, Bennett, Grisham, And Underwood
2560 One Commerce Square
Memphis, TN 38103