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Container
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Title
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Series: Harry Johnson
: 1410 Josephine Street, Janesville
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1976 July 29
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Tape/Side
12/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:20
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
12/1-A
Time
0:21 to 6:25
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Family background near Sparta, Wisconsin--father from Norway--farming and logging--H. J. as workers on Chicago and Northwestern R. R.--mother's background
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Tape/Side
12/1-A
Time
6:26 to 7:48
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Family religious background--mother as 7th Day Adventist--father Norwegian Lutheran
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Tape/Side
12/1-A
Time
7:49 to 10:14
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Father comes to America--family political background
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Tape/Side
12/1-A
Time
10:15 to 15:07
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Elementary education--two years of high school--no knowledge of unions, fellow workers scabbing--loggers unorganized
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Tape/Side
12/1-A
Time
15:08 to 17:58
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Family “never had very much”--move from Sparta to Janesville to work at Chevrolet
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Tape/Side
12/1-A
Time
17:51 to 29:10
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Early attempt at farming--H. J. worked with the C. & N. W. R. R., line work--member then of the AFL Maintenance Away Union, recalls attending meeting, but not a very active member
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
0:00 to 4:00
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Patrolling the track--H. J. saw no future in railroad work--little class awareness
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
4:01 to 6:06
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Chevrolet in 1923--H. J.'s first work, body drop--plant closed during 1933
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
6:07 to 7:22
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Reaction against inside plant work
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
7:23 to 10:13
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Nature of work force in 1920s--many from west central Wisconsin, most off the farm--came to Janesville for jobs at Chevrolet
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
10:14 to 13:32
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Pay at Chevrolet--piece work pay system, hard to figure wages
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
13:33 to 18:13
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Working conditions at Chevrolet, smoke and heat--problem with open windows--conditions good in drop area--health hazards in many areas--paint department
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
18:14 to 21:39
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More on body drop area--union members from body drop area, no talk of unions until 1933--many workers in this area off the farm
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
21:40 to 23:40
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Positive relations with foremen and supervisors
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Tape/Side
12/1-B
Time
23:41 to 26:20
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Reaction to national political and labor leaders--FDR, the La Follettes, Herbert Hoover, Bill Green of the AFL
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
0:000 to 0:10
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
0:11 to 2:41
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Reaction to capitalism, slight--old Sparta friends as Janesville friends
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
2:42 to 7:32
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H. J. as a conscientious worker--problems of other workers on the Chevy line--no relief--H. J.'s attitude toward GM
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
7:33 to 11:43
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The speed up--control of the rheostat--speed up caused union--model changeover--short days--difficult times
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
11:44 to 13:36
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The frame gang periodically refused to work before the union was organized--lack of relief--clothing
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
13:37 to 18:57
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Influence of H. J.'s brother, Howard, on the Fisher side--Fisher organized first--H. J. as first union man on the Chevy side--part of national effort
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
18:58 to 20:48
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AFL federal union as first GM union in Janesville
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
20:49 to 25:34
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H. J. worked with GM exhibit at 1933 World's Fair in Chicago--positive experience
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Tape/Side
12/2-A
Time
25:35 to 29:45
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H. J. joins the union--recruiting other members--working conditions most important, especially the speed-up
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Tape/Side
12/2-B
Time
0:00 to 3:45
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Maintenance department as hardest to organize, no speed-up there--anti-union workers--influence of wives
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Tape/Side
12/2-B
Time
3:46 to 5:08
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Joining the AFL union
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Tape/Side
12/2-B
Time
5:09 to 9:09
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Organizer named Dillon--need for education--fear among workers
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Tape/Side
12/2-B
Time
9:10 to 22:00
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H. J. fired for organizing activities--successful appeal to the Wolman Board, nature of the Board--surviving with no job--others fired at the same time, all reinstated--H. J. continued union efforts, more determined--firings as a setback to organizing efforts until H. J. was reinstated, then an influx of new members
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Tape/Side
12/2-B
Time
22:01 to 22:50
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Establishing separate locals for Fisher and Chevrolet
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Tape/Side
12/2-B
Time
22:51 to 25:51
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No bitterness toward GM--key organizers on Chevrolet side, Mark Egbert, Elmer Yenney, John Donagan
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Tape/Side
12/2-B
Time
25:51 to 27:31
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Learning about the union--speakers--the role of the organizers
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1976 November 11
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:25
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
0:26 to 4:21
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Community reaction to the UAW, mostly negative--some school teachers supported the union--business reaction to UAW
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
4:22 to 5:52
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Union members as diverse group
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
5:52 to 8:57
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Sources of information regarding the UAW and unionism--reliance on Elmer Yenney, president of Local 121--independent labor newsletter in Janesville
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
8:58 to 13:38
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Planning the sitdown strike of 1937--key people--unanimity on executive boards
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
13:39 to 18:29
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Congregating at body drop area on sitdown day--H. J. assembled commercial truck bodies then--support for the sitdown
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
18:30 to 21:15
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Shutting down maintenance in the Old Foundry, last group to stop work in the Chevrolet plant
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
21:16 to 24:28
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Membership at time of the sitdown in 1937 (H. J. was financial secretary)--small percentage of work force as members, membership fluctuated
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Tape/Side
31/1-A
Time
24:28 to 29:18
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Boom in Local 121 membership immediately after strike--attitudes of new members--Local 121's recruiters
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
0:00 to 8:50
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New members as reluctant, justifiable fears--attitudes of early members toward new members--no particular groups' represented by new members
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
8:51 to 9:15
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Wildcat strikes, not a major concern
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
9:16 to 15:50
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Financial status of Local 121 in 1937--sufficient money for travel and other needs--Janesville locals very frugal--open with financial and membership records--Jimmy Hall as an informer
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
15:51 to 17:20
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The Harold Lewis case--Lewis furnished information to management
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
17:21 to 20:30
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Jeanne Rimley as secretary to Local 121--H. J. observed her hiring--very efficient secretary
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
20:31 to 21:40
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Compensation for H. J.'s work, instigated by Jimmy Hill, H. J. suspicious of his motives
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
21:41 to 22:36
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Little recollection of “button day”
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Tape/Side
31/1-B
Time
22:37 to 25:22
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Transition from the AFL to CIO--support for AFL's Homer Martin--Elmer Yenney eventually recommended the change
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
0:00 to 0:10
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
0:11 to 4:11
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Relations with the international office--H. J. at 1937 UAW convention in Milwaukee--not persuaded by Reuthers at that time
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
4:12 to 5:17
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H. J.'s work during World War II
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
5:18 to 7:43
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Reaction to absence of black workers at Chevrolet--hiring as management prerogative, no involvement by union
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
7:44 to 10:39
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H. J.'s service on Janesville City Council, urged to run by Mark Egbert--accepted by business slating group--H. J. tried to serve entire city--most council decisions by consensus
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
10:40 to 14:25
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Problem of dogs running loose--problem of beer license for bowling alley which served UAW bowlers
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
14:26 to 16:41
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Term as city council president
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Tape/Side
31/2-A
Time
16:42 to 17:22
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Closing statement
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