The union was in poor condition after the war, so the La Crosse Trades and Labor Council contacted the RCIA in Milwaukee. Murray Plopper, an organizer, was sent to La Crosse; he served as business representative and did quite a bit of organizing. The recording secretary of the local left town. “Some guy said, 'I nominate Bob Heslip.' And five people were there.... So I was recording secretary for a year or two.” Plopper attended every meeting and guided the local officers. Plopper looked at the books after awhile and decided the secretary-treasurer was doing a poor job. So, Heslip was elected to that post. The local began to grow. Plopper tried to convince Heslip to become a business representative, “but I had a sure thing with the A & P.... It didn't look secure enough to me to quit and go to work as a business agent for the union. So I didn't.”