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Container
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Title
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Series: Gerald H. Litney
: 56 Parkview Terrace, Milton
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1976 December 9
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Tape/Side
32/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:25
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
32/1-A
Time
0:26 to 7:46
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Family background, the Litneys and the Lees--grandfather Lee as a railroad man--origins of grandparents
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Tape/Side
32/1-A
Time
7:47 to 14:22
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Parental background--father as a railroad worker, dispatcher--G. L.'s observations of his father's work
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Tape/Side
32/1-A
Time
14:23 to 24:33
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Father as a railroad union member--recalls strike circa 1914--American Railway Union of Eugene Debs--many supporters of Debs in the Janesville area--father visited Debs in prison--father not a socialist--father injured at time of strike
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Tape/Side
32/1-A
Time
24:34 to 29:29
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G. L.'s brief work with the railroad--the setup at the South Janesville Yard--a youth views the union--low pay for railroad work at that time--recollection of back pay, downpayment on a home
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Tape/Side
32/1-B
Time
0:00 to 1:40
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Backgrounds of railroad workers-
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Tape/Side
32/1-B
Time
1:41 to 6:06
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Father's injury, badly broken leg
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Tape/Side
32/1-B
Time
6:07 to 12:47
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Family political background--father as a Democratic activist--G. L. recalls his first vote--supported Bob La Follette--reactions to other candidates
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Tape/Side
32/1-B
Time
12:48 to 14:58
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Local politics--Mayor Goodman of Janesville as a cousin--recollection of J. J. Dulin, but not as a political leader
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Tape/Side
32/1-B
Time
14:59 to 18:19
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Family religious background--grandfather Litney broke with the Catholic Church--father as good member of St. Patrick's
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Tape/Side
32/1-B
Time
18:20 to 23:20
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Church's attitude toward labor unions--G. L. received approval from Fr. Reilly for G. L.'s role as a labor organizer--aware of Pope Leo's Rerum Novarum, papal encyclical supporting labor, G. L. learned of it from the School for Workers, not the Church, very important
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Tape/Side
32/2-A
Time
0:00 to 0:15
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
32/2-A
Time
0:16 to 3:26
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G. L.'s youth in Janesville-family residences--the family
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Tape/Side
32/2-A
Time
3:27 to 11:47
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St. Patrick's elementary school--great aunt was a nun there--later attended public school--comparison of parochial and public schools--Fr. Mahoney of St. Patrick's
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Tape/Side
32/2-A
Time
11:48 to 15:48
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Ethnic backgrounds--4th Ward as heavily Irish
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Tape/Side
32/2-A
Time
15:49 to 23:15
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G. L. left school after 7th grade--went to work for Janesville Shirt and Overall--carried bundles to seamstresses--location of plants--G. L. as youngest worker--friend Johnny Cullen
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Tape/Side
32/2-A
Time
23:16 to 28:06
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Recreation as a youth--4th Ward baseball team, walked to Milton to play--Don Dawson the pitcher--work for Townsend Co. as a machinist for G. L.--brief term at Samson Tractor--work at Rock River Woolen Mill
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Tape/Side
32/2-B
Time
0:00 to 4:30
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G. L. as a weaver--learning the trade--work at Rock River Woolen Mills
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Tape/Side
32/2-B
Time
4:31 to 7:51
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The river and G. L.'s youth--Goose Island--the Hilt family at Jackson and Western Streets--Townsens Tractor plant on River Street
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Tape/Side
32/2-B
Time
7:52 to 12:07
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Class awareness--aspirations as a youth, cut short by Depression--G. L. moved to Milwaukee briefly, work as bakery truck driver
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Tape/Side
32/2-B
Time
12:08 to 13:58
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Drove for Cunningham's Bakery in Janesville after return from Milwaukee--return to Rock River Woolen Mills
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Tape/Side
32/2-B
Time
13:58 to 15:58
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Ed Dulin as first president of Textile Workers local at Rock River Woolen--then G. L. assumed leadership--later became union staff member
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Tape/Side
32/2-B
Time
15:59 to 24:29
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Further comments on weaving experience--brief training for weaver--description of weaving process--the race, source of the wool
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1976 January 11
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:15
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
0:16 to 5:31
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Rock River Woolen in early 1920s--Johnny Mitchell as tough weave boss--piece work system, pay less than a quarter per hour
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
5:32 to 10:07
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Work in the design room under Mr. Gladhill--work for Cunningham Bakery--work for other mills, Daniel Boone in Chicago, many others--always hired back at Rock River
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
10:08 to 11:38
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Demand for weavers--most weavers were men then--shortage of experienced weavers
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
11:39 to 14:29
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More on design work, not routine
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
14:30 to 20:50
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No break time or rest periods--leaving the loom--lighting in the plant--watching for “ends out”, key part of job--fines for “wrong draws”, flaws in material
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
20:51 to 23:15
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The Daniel Boone Mill--cutting room work
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
23:16 to 27:00
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Air quality at Rock River Woolen--fibers in air from pounding operation--card room had poorest air quality
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Tape/Side
33/1-A
Time
27:01 to 29:55
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Problems working with asbestos, later when G. L. was a union representative
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
0:00 to 2:05
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Asbestos plant had moved from Chicago to Bloomington, Ill.--asbestos weaving process
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
2:06 to 6:01
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Decline of Rock River Woolen--recollection of Mr. Tate, mill owner--Tate as good salesman and plant manager
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
6:02 to 7:52
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Early union activities--Ed Dulin as first president--union voted out first time
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
7:53 to 9:53
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G. L. with overview of plant operation--size of plant--value of union president experience
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
9:54 to 13:54
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Comparison of Rock River Woolen with other woolen mills--Tate as best manager--working conditions better--different types of cloth in other mills--best wursted fiber at Rock River
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
13:55 to 19:05
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Backgrounds of fellow weavers at Rock River Woolen--many from eastern U. S., moved to Janesville for opportunities at Rock River Woolen--names of several local weavers
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
19:06 to 22:21
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Families of weavers in Janesville--G. L. not in Janesville after 1940
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
22:22 to 24:27
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Ethnic backgrounds of mill workers--Italians from Rock Hill neighborhood--Irish and German
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Tape/Side
33/1-B
Time
24:28 to 27:33
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Women weavers at Rock River--few in early 1920s, 70% by 1940--GM drew male weavers away from mill because of better pay--only men in card room and dye house
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Tape/Side
33/2-A
Time
0:00 to 0:10
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
33/2-A
Time
0:11 to 3:51
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Acceptance of women weavers, not competing with men--the mill as a place to work--the dye house, odor, hard work
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Tape/Side
33/2-A
Time
3:52 to 8:32
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The mill and the Depression--G. L. to Milwaukee early in Depression--back to Janesville, Cunningham's Bakery
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Tape/Side
33/2-A
Time
8:33 to 17:43
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G. L. on first union organizing committee at Rock River Woolen--grievances, hot-tempered foreman, wages--lost vote on first effort--opposition to the union--role of the Textile Workers Organizing Committee--organizer from Milwaukee
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Tape/Side
33/2-A
Time
17:43 to 29:43
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Fellow committee members--Tate's reaction to the union--weavers as largest group in the plant--noise of the looms, hearing problems--shuttle hazard--piece work as key grievance--loom hazards, speed--innovations in looms
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Tape/Side
33/2-B
Time
0:00 to 1:00
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More on loom innovations
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Tape/Side
33/2-B
Time
1:01 to 7:11
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Work load as a problem, two looms per weaver, then four--wildcat strike in weave room in 1924, resulted in change in shuttle size, G. L. not too upset by that--two looms per weaver as a greater problem
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Tape/Side
33/2-B
Time
7:12 to 10:32
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Work as a machinist--work for Carpenter Bakery in Milwaukee
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Tape/Side
33/2-B
Time
10:33 to 17:23
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First trip to Milwaukee concerning the formation of the union--recollection of John Bonahovich, key organizer, trained G. L. as an organizer--the Chicago Joint Board of the Textile Workers Union--more on John Bonahovich, patient toward opposition workers, successful approach
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Tape/Side
33/2-B
Time
17:24 to 20:34
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Converting non-union workers--Bonahovich and management--arbitration cases, one on the four loom proposition
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1976 January 19, 1977
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:15
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
0:16 to 4:21
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G. L.'s role in union development at Rock River Woolen--committeeman--modernization and job overloads--company as dictatorial--wages and working conditions as key factors
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
4:22 to 6:22
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Influence of the UAW example at GT&I--militant workers in the mill
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
6:23 to 15:03
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G. L. becomes local president--union first voted out in late 1937--union won a second vote one year later--hard work during that year to build up a following--others who were involved, Terwiligers
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
15:04 to 17:04
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Role of women in the union, some were stewards, no women officers
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
17:05 to 20:30
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G. L.'s fellow officers--Oliver Nunes as treasurer--Morris Hendrickson as recording secretary, currently living on South Pearl Street
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
20:31 to 25:46
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Union shop established with little opposition from management--motives of anti-union workers often personal, little bedrock opposition--departments within the plant, union strength balanced
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Tape/Side
34/1-A
Time
25:47 to 30:02
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Management reaction to union--congratulations from Tate after second election--G. L. threatened by foreman
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Tape/Side
34/1-B
Time
0:00 to 1:45
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Clean election, fair play from management
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Tape/Side
34/1-B
Time
1:46 to 3:00
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Infrequent wildcat strikes at Rock River
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Tape/Side
34/1-B
Time
3:01 to 8:46
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First contract signed shortly after second election--included union shop--wage increase and vacation clause--negotiators--sessions in lawyer Woods' office--long sessions
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Tape/Side
34/1-B
Time
8:47 to 19:22
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Arbitration cases after contract signed--Mr. Peacock spoke for company during contract negotiations--management attitudes during negotiations--G. L.'s feelings during negotiations--overwhelming vote to accept contract--Earl McGrew, union representative, played key role in contract negotiation--McGrew eventually hired G. L. as an international representative
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Tape/Side
34/1-B
Time
19:23 to 25:28
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International representative job as a great opportunity for G. L.--nature of the work--establishing contracts--work through local organizing committees--organizing tactics--contact work
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Tape/Side
34/2-A
Time
0:00 to 0:10
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
34/2-A
Time
0:11 to 9:31
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More on developing contracts--contact with black man in Chicago on Branwine Mattress Co., gave G. L. other black contacts in Chicago area plants--black workers in Chicago textiles--G. L. as NAACP member--organizing regardless of color
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Tape/Side
34/2-A
Time
9:32 to 12:37
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G. L.'s work with the staff of the Chicago Joint Board--promoted to head of organizing activities, paid by Textile Workers Organizing Committee, attended educational conferences sponsored by TWOC
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Tape/Side
34/2-A
Time
12:38 to 18:13
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The educational conferences--usually conducted by union leaders--the professor who tried to get G. L.'s library--influence of Larry Rogan
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Tape/Side
34/2-A
Time
18:14 to 20:34
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Recollection of Sidney Hillman, spoke at Apollo Theater in Janesville
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Tape/Side
34/2-A
Time
20:35 to 22:20
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Impact of the educational conferences on G. L.
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Tape/Side
34/2-A
Time
22:21 to 27:16
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Recollections of other textile labor organizers and leaders--reaction against the AFL United Textile Workers--UTW not very active in the Midwest
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Tape/Side
34/2-B
Time
0:00 to 4:55
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G. L.'s sources of information on unionism--newspapers, a failed Democratic paper from Rockford--Chicago Daily News
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Tape/Side
34/2-B
Time
4:56 to 8:36
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Union publications very important--influential books--Eugene Debs' autobiography
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Tape/Side
34/2-B
Time
8:37 to 11:12
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Contract negotiations with the Eagle Knitting Co.--G. L. thrown out of plant, then readmitted--later G. L. and the president of Eagle became more friendly
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Tape/Side
34/2-B
Time
11:13 to 13:13
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Janesville Public Library as a source of information, very little in early stages--the University of Wisconsin Bookstore
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Tape/Side
34/2-B
Time
13:14 to 20:00
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No factionalism in Rock River local--Walter Nails succeeded G. L. as president--G. L. worked with and trusted Van Horn and Yenney of the UAW--meeting at the Apollo Theater partially concerning the Communist problem-Communist disruption of Chicago Industrial Union Council meeting, later Communists formed their own council in Chicago
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