Labor unions

Ray Abner is a retired general chairman of the International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers (IBF&O). His experience with the L&N Railroad began during his childhood in Eastern Kentucky. Main Topics: Childhood and early years in railroad boarding camp. Experience as a telegrapher; transfer to position at the South Louisville Shops after being furloughed in 1936-37; early union organizing at the South Louisville Shops; definition of the terms "fireman" and "oilers" and the relation of semiskilled and unskilled workers to the IBF&O; work responsibilities of the laborers; role of the IBF&O during the 1955 strike against the L&N Railroad; responsibilities of the general chairman of the IBF&O; changes brought about by equal opportunity employment legislation; reflections on union activities including accomplishments, labor and management relations, and cooperation from the national office for local problems; historical importance of the railroads to Eastern Kentucky.

Various interviews with retired and active union members.

Jim Bailey served as a general vice president of the Brotherhood Railway Carmen of the United States and Canada. Main Topics: Family history in railroad occupations; brief review of Bailey's career advancements with the Carmen's union; background on the Carmen's union and its role in the 1955 crafts strike against the L&N railroad; description of the L&N shop facilities in Montgomery, Alabama; Bailey's move to Louisville as General Chairman of the Joint Protective Board of the Carmen's union and the responsibilities of this position; some comments on the importance of the Railway Labor Act; Bailey's experiences on the national level as Grand Lodge Deputy and as a member of the General Executive Board; some of the specific responsibilities of the General Vice Presidents of the BRC of US&C; specific duties and responsibilities of Mr. Bailey's present position; listing of railroad occupations included in the BRC of US&C agreements and covered by their constitution adopted at Joint Convention, Topeka, Kansas, September, 1890.

Mildred Bradley is a retired worker at the South Louisville Shops. She was among a large group of women hired by the L&N Railroad during World War II. Main topics: Early life and jobs before employment with L&N; early working years at the L&N (good description of cleaning diesels and working with brick masons); postwar years; unionization and the importance for women; 1955 strike observations and experiences; limitations on women workers who continued to work at the South Louisville shops; background on International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers; special tools and aspects of Mildred Bradley's work; work experiences of father, Jess Davis; reflections on race relations in Kentucky and on the L&N Railroad. Wrap-up: comments on work including examples of how she dug the pits under the diesels and other heavy machines, and more explanation concerning union activities and records; reflections on what might have been if times had been different and compliments paid to Ms. Bradley.

Mr. Burkhart is a retired L&N employee and past General Chairman of the Railroad Yardmasters of America. Main topics: father's railroad background and L&N ties with the Shelby Park community near the Oak Street Yard; military railroad experience during World War II; postwar changes in railroading at the L&N; military railroad experience during the Korean conflict; union activities and reflections on Burkhart's years as General Chairman; physical differences in the three Louisville L&N Railroad yards: east Louisville, Water Street, and the South Louisville yard. Additional comments on union activities, the L&N Railroad battalion and its training activities.

This interview focuses upon Mr. Carey's experiences while working as an L&N engine carpenter. Topics include: union activities, political activities and company policy, and the coming of the diesel engine to the Louisville shops.

Main topics: Early life, University of Tennessee, banks closed 1933, hired as draftsman and instrument man; moved with L&N; career from division engineer to Assistant Vice President of Personnel and Labor Relations. Areas of experience: 1955 railroad strike, merger with N.C.&St.L., DeCoursey line up Straight Creek, Hurricane Betsy, involved in C.E.&I., and work as independent consultant. Descriptive sections on L&N: L&N in 1937, life out on the line, track and bridge repair and streamlining of curves, divisions of the L&N and their boundaries. Changes in division boundaries through merger, operation department and its chain of command, South Louisville shops, reasons for moving personnel throughout the divisions, description of camp car gangs, defense facilities and industrial development. Sections on routine maintenance and projected maintenance: types of crossties, explanation of rail conditions, suppliers of ties and rails, lining bars on tracks with caller versus more modern techniques, laying of rail and spikes, condition of track in relation to derailments, single track repair schedule. Repairing procedure for damage of Hurricanes Betsy and Camille. Additional information on work crews and union jobs. Modernization in many areas: scheduling of construction work, rapid loading facilities, critical path method (PERK). Discussion of labor and personnel: good explanation of the Brotherhood's responsibility to the provision the Railway Act. Descriptions on labor consideration: Lace Curtain money, reasons some agreements take so long to be resolved, hard feelings carried over from the 1955 railroad strike, Clark's past experience that enabled him to understand labor's viewpoint. Final comments: Differences in position when Clark held position of Vice President Operations in Jacksonville; was working in labor relations during three mergers: N.C.&St.L.; N&W & the Virginian; and recent experience with the New England railroads.

Main topics: Early life, Nashville, school and marriage. Started in Transportation in 1963 in Louisville at $19.20 per day. Job severed with 282 award and became a switchman. Gained seniority and had more educational background. Influence of wife when racial barriers made position unpleasant. Became brakeman when switchman job was cut. Move to Glasgow where racial situation was bad. Gained experience as locomotive engineer on General Motors, General Electric and Alco locomotives. Around 1968 began to see other opportunities that could be open to him. 1971 became assistant train master, a position that proved to be valuable experience. 1977 became traveling engineer or road foreman. Then made immediate supervisor over locomotive engineers. Presently training of locomotive engineers is part of his responsibility. Utilization of the locomotives, new computerization for centralized train control. F7 Series, EMD, General Electric most sophisticated, centralized traffic control (CTC), service areas, modernization of equipment, unit train, road bed and increase in speed limits. Tracks and roadway the same location as in steam days. Necessary for rebuilding daily and the improvements on the locomotives themselves. Cotton outlines the boundaries of the Louisville Division. Terminals of the Louisville Division including the Monon Facilities. Discussion of the hump yard at Osborn Yard in Louisville. Cotton's responsibilities include thed following: training of personnel (apprentice engineers and supervisors), terminal breakdown and derailment procedure. This section also explains the regionalization of various areas of responsibility. Continuation of derailment sight procedure and notification if hazardous materials is being leaked and other general responsibilities. Strikes and the reason for training supervisors to operate the locomotives. Family Lines team approach, coming of women to the locomotive positions; some policy approach of the Family Lines that are important: Incentive program, scholarship awards for supervisors' children, scholarship opportunities for employees, higher level of education of training for new employees. Unionization and its effect on the company and present employee problems.

Duncan, a barrel handler, Brown-Forman, talks about the duties of the positions he has held with B-F, the labor union at B-F and his duties as shop steward.

Talks about strikes at the plant.