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Container
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Title
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Series: Lou Adkins
: 805 Sherman Ave., Janesville
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Session I, August 17, 1976
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:20
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Introduction
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
0:21 to 4:10
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Family background--L. A. and father came to Janesville together to work at Samson Tractor--work at Rock Island Arsenal
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
4:11 to 5:36
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Family political background--L. A. shifted from Republican to Democrat--little concern for religion
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
5:37 to 7:57
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Recollections of youth in Indianapolis--no early knowledge of unions
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
7:58 to 12:08
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Work at GM plant in St. Louis, became familiar with UAW there--speed-up--influence of Jack Livingston, president of St. Louis local--others from Janesville who worked in St. Louis
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
12:09 to 18:39
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Origins of UAW in Janesville--small meeting at Lien's service station--Francis Dillon as organizer--speed-up and seniority as L. A.'s concerns--problems with hiring procedures, Jack Smack's drinking buddies
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
18:40 to 21:40
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Little class awareness--uncle as president of musician's union in Indianapolis, possible influence on L. A
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
21:41 to 22:55
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Experience at Rock Island arsenal
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
22:56 to 26:36
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Working at Samson Tractor--Samson recruited L. A. and other workers--lathe operator
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Reel/Side
15/1-A
Time
26:37 to 29:37
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Work at Chevrolet as a tack spitter--no problem adjusting to assembly line
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
0:00 to 1:52
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Lifelong work in cushion department at Fisher, “just a job”
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
1:53 to 5:49
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Survival as key, no limit to demands for work--line speed related to paint drying--no concern for quality
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
5:50 to 7:40
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Foreman hollering at workers
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
7:41 to 10:26
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Fellow workers in cushion department, origins
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
10:27 to 15:27
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L. A. laid off at Chevrolet, hired back at Fisher--militancy in the cushion department--firings to discourage union membership
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
15:28 to 19:38
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Diverse work force in cushion department--L. A. as first chairman of shop committee--security of union activists due to legal protection
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
19:39 to 22:05
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Piece work system, eventually negotiated out--variety of pay systems
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Reel/Side
15/1-B
Time
22:06 to 26:56
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Role of the foreman--survival for the individual--need to restrain GM--foremen as prostitutes--constant efforts to get more work out of the workers
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
0:00 to 0:10
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Introduction
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
0:11 to 3:40
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GM's use of the time study department, an unethical outfit to L. A.--the strike out system
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
3:41 to 5:16
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No relief or breaks--“taking care of yourself”
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
5:17 to 8:53
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Recollections of plant managers--Hurley as crooked and ruthless--Harry Randall curing the Depression
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
8:54 to 11:04
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Early recollections of unionism
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
11:04 to 14:24
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Comments concerning capitalism--politics--voted against Al Smith out of prejudice--little reaction to Bill Green
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
14:25 to 17:00
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Little social interaction with other workers prior to the organization of the union--no lodge affiliations
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
17:01 to 19:40
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Family responsibilities--early experience with hospital--good experience concerning an overdue coal bill
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
19:41 to 21:36
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Early development of the UAW in Janesville--pressure on those reluctant to join
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Reel/Side
15/2-A
Time
21:37 to 28:42
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First general meeting--more on the meeting at Lien's service station--Waldo Luchsinger's role--from St. Louis to the first general meeting--Dillon's role
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Reel/Side
15/2-B
Time
0:00 to 4:30
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Industrial union problem--union members with protection against arbitrary firing--legal basis for organizing
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Reel/Side
15/2-B
Time
4:31 to 14:11
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Further comments on first general meeting--cooperation of Oliver Riches and the Central Labor Union--no election or minutes from first meeting--those at the first meeting--management as unethical, GM personnel man, Jack Cronin, later agreed with L. A. on that--constant fear of retaliation
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Reel/Side
15/2-B
Time
14:12 to 16:37
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Approaching workers about union membership--union members from the cushion department
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Reel/Side
15/2-B
Time
16:38 to 19:42
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Motives of early organizers--assertion that the company formed the union through its unfairness--Cronin's remarks on GM's unethical practices--company people always fighting for bonuses
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Reel/Side
15/2-B
Time
19:43 to 22:07
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Early union members as mature, experienced workers, nothing else in common
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Reel/Side
15/2-B
Time
22:08 to 25:43
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Wife's reaction to L. A.'s union activities--people who thought company could do no wrong--workers got nothing from GM voluntarily, except for Charlie Wilson offering a cost of living escalator
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Session II, August 31, 1976
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Reel/Side
18/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:15
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Introduction
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Reel/Side
18/1-A
Time
0:16 to 3:56
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Location of the Lien Garage, site of first meeting--Al Lien as a progressive--pressuring reluctant members
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Reel/Side
18/1-A
Time
3:57 to 9:19
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GM use of Pinkertons in oiler jobs--finding Herb Lilla's Pinkerton records--L. A. never threatened with firing, GM possibly fearful of discrimination suit
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Reel/Side
18/1-A
Time
9:20 to 14:40
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GM's grievance procedure, sabotaged by L. A. and Carl Nelson as members of the company's grievance committee--other members as “softies”
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Reel/Side
18/1-A
Time
14:41 to 19:19
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Clayton Orcutt as employment manager--Dennis Hurley as manager on Fisher, “lamp post”--meetings with Hurley and department supervisors
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Reel/Side
18/1-A
Time
19:20 to 26:20
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Community reaction against UAW--Gazette as anti-union, fear of GM move--Henry Traxler compared to Nathan Feinsinger
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Reel/Side
18/1-A
Time
26:21 to 29:35
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Recollections of Chief of Police Ford and Sheriff Croake--no support from religious leaders--help from other Janesville labor unions
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
0:00 to 2:10
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Building trades weak in Janesville--UAW problem with members moonlighting in competition with building trades people
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
2:11 to 8:19
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Sources of information on union--conferences--trial and error--the plant “grape vine”--no printing in early years
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
8:20 to 10:10
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Assistance from unions in other Wisconsin cities
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
10:11 to 12:30
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More on living with uncle in Indianapolis--uncle ran proofs for the printer of union journals
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
12:31 to 14:50
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L. A.'s reaction to free enterprise capitalism
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
14:51 to 17:10
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Communists in Janesville, very few, opposed by local union members--Emil Costello as a communist
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
17:11 to 20:45
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Necessity to organize on a local level--AFL did adequate organizing work, no financial assistance from AFL
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
20:46 to 24:05
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Transition from AFL to CIO at Fisher--factions in Local 95, supporters of each faction--people on whom L. A. relied--confrontation with Wes Van Horn and the Martin faction in Local 95
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Reel/Side
18/1-B
Time
24:06 to 27:48
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Effort to expel L. A.--alleged outside influence on Wes Van Horn, Local 95 president, to attempt expulsion of L. A., Local 95 treasurer
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Reel/Side
18/2-A
Time
0:00 to 0:10
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Introduction
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Reel/Side
18/2-A
Time
0:11 to 6:50
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Meeting to attempt ouster of L. A. from Local 95--L. A. accused of fostering CIO--influence of Jack Livingston from St. Louis--reaction of other Local 95 leaders
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Reel/Side
18/2-A
Time
6:51 to 11:02
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L. A.'s knowledge of national UAW leaders--R. J. Thomas, George Addes, Homer Martin--further comments on factionalism, leadership squabble--organizing efforts picked up after L. A.'s trial
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Reel/Side
18/2-A
Time
11:03 to 16:41
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Body shop and cushion departments most receptive to union, trim and paint departments less so--experienced workers as backbone of union--younger workers less interested--L. A.'s role in the militant cushion department
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Reel/Side
18/2-A
Time
16:42 to 22:22
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Farmer-workers as too busy for the union--religious and ethnic factors not important--no limit to management demands on workers--reluctant unionists, fear
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Reel/Side
18/2-A
Time
22:23 to 26:38
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Members usually joined individually, especially in early years--Chevrolet harder to organize than Fisher--Gazette worked on Elmer Yenney as a “foreigner”
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Reel/Side
18/2-A
Time
26:39 to 28:49
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L. A. originally declined nominations for office, didn't seek office in union
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Reel/Side
18/2-B
Time
0:00 to 2:10
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Early dissatisfaction with officers, 1934--Straus Ellis effort to dissolve union, L. A. protested--Ellis became foreman next day
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Reel/Side
18/2-B
Time
2:11 to 4:16
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L. A.'s role in the early union years--seniority as primary goal
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Reel/Side
18/2-B
Time
4:17 to 8:42
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Recruiting new members, talked to anyone, careful who was watching--more on conflict with Straus Ellis
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Reel/Side
18/2-B
Time
8:43 to 14:31
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The sitdown strike of 1937--planning--only Yenney and Van Horn knew specifics--decision to strike made locally--aware of sitdown in Atlanta--decision made generally by membership vote--GM's attitude as key
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Reel/Side
18/2-B
Time
14:32 to 20:12
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Events of Jan. 5, 1937, sitdown day in Janesville--L. A. and foreman fought over switch--whistle blowing as signal--broke down door when cafeteria was closed and locked--Fisher men went through holes in wall to help on Chevrolet side
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Reel/Side
18/2-B
Time
20:13 to 25:23
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Company reaction, manager Hurley--meeting in City Manager Traxler's office--Traxler announced settlement near midnight--assurances that plant closing would be enforced from Chief Ford and Sheriff Croake
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Reel/Side
18/2-B
Time
25:24 to 26:39
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International focused on Flint, little concern for Janesville--riding train club car with Governor Frank Murphy of Michigan who negotiated Flint settlement
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Session III, September 14, 1976
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
0:00 to 0:15
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Introduction
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
0:16 to 2:00
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Further comments on the talk with Governor Frank Murphy between Detroit and Washington
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
2:01 to 5:11
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Transition from AFL to CIO--relations with Jack Livingston--Homer Martin too religious for L. A.--attitude toward John L. Lewis
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
5:12 to 8:57
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Further comments on transition--Locals 121 and 95 joined CIO together--John L. Lewis as an idol for L. A.
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
8:58 to 14:03
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The GM Alliance--fear of company leaving Janesville--Alliance people as “weak”--buttons
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
14:04 to 18:22
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Trips to Detroit to deal with grievances--dealt with GM directly--Gabe Jewell as UAW's GM representative
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
18:23 to 20:03
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Jack Cronin as GM personnel manager--121 had to deal with Norm Ellis, Chevrolet more anti-union
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
20:04 to 27:12
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Ringling Circus incident--picket against Ringling--elephant stampede--caravans from Racine and Kenosha to assist 95 and 121
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Reel/Side
21/1-A
Time
27:12 to 28:30
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L. A. in Detroit at time of Rouge River
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
0:00 to 5:55
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L. A. as chairman of shop committee--seniority as basic goal--Fisher personnel managers rotated often--Tom Jeffries--Clayton Orcutt
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
5:56 to 7:16
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Further comments on seniority
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
7:17 to 12:37
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Negotiating local issues--committeemen determined objectives--occasional written suggestions from bulletin board
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
12:38 to 15:58
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Confidence in the union in the early days--speed-up as continuing problem--time standards as strikeable issues
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
15:59 to 18:15
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Wildcat strikes in 1937, “the building of the union”--two non-union women thrown out of cushion department
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
18:16 to 22:21
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95 and 121 as a joint local during World War II, L. A. as president--problems during the War--Oldsmobile more receptive to unions
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
22:22 to 23:02
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Difference between Fisher and Chevrolet, Norm Ellis as key
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Reel/Side
21/1-B
Time
23:03 to 26:13
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No discussion of continuing joint local--problem with rotating shift, L. A. supported seniority--problems in foundry
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Reel/Side
21/2-A
Time
0:00 to 0:10
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Introduction
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Reel/Side
21/2-A
Time
0:11 to 2:45
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Manager Downey as a pusher during the War, use of patriotic themes--L. A.'s reaction
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Reel/Side
21/2-A
Time
2:46 to 5:26
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Recollection of 1945-46 strike--L. A. on Top Negotiating Committee--Walter Reuther as committee chairman
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Reel/Side
21/2-A
Time
5:27'to 8:32
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Decision to take on GM--appraisal of strike--smoking in the plant as an issue, permitted during War--unity in strike
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Reel/Side
21/2-A
Time
8:33 to 11:18
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Recollection of Blue Jenkins, L. A. serviced plant where Jenkins worked--Jenkins never discussed employment of black workers in Janesville with L. A.
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Reel/Side
21/2-A
Time
11:19 to 13:34
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War Labor Board--smoking and three week vacation as issues
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