Atanacio (Nacho) Trigo Jr., and Preciliano (Chano) Anguiano, both Hispanic Americans, discuss their careers at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI Marilyn Coulter: Fisher Body historical team interview. Today is Tuesday, January 31, 2006. It’s approximately about 12:15. We are in the UAW Local 602 Frank Dryer GreenHouse. First, we’ll introduce the team. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Uh, Earl Nicholson. Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. John Fedewa: John Fedewa. Gary Judy: Gary Judy. Marilyn Coulter: And Marilyn Coulter. Today we’re here with Preciliano and Atanacio? Atanacio Trigo: Atanacio. Marilyn Coulter: Atanacio. Um, we’re gonna start out – first, if you could both please say your name and give us the correct pronunciation and spelling. [0:38] You wanna start please? Atanacio Trigo: Okay, my real name is Atanacio Trigo. And I gonna spell it. A-T-A-N-A-C-I-O. Trigo. T-R-I-G-O. And I’m a Junior but they call me – they always me Nacho. Marilyn Coulter: Nacho. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: And… Atanacio Trigo: N-A-C-H-O. Marilyn Coulter: [0:59] Can you give us your address please? Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 1:02] that’s 407 North Union Street in Saint Louis, Michigan. Marilyn Coulter: [1:06] And, are you married? Atanacio Trigo: No. Marilyn Coulter: [1:09] Do you have any children? Atanacio Trigo: I’ve got two girls. Marilyn Coulter: [1:14] And were you born in Saint Louis? Atanacio Trigo: No. Marilyn Coulter: [1:16] Where were you born? Atanacio Trigo: I was born in Sinton, Texas. Marilyn Coulter: Sinton, Texas? Atanacio Trigo: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [1:20] Alright and, uh, your education level? Atanacio Trigo: I finished high school. Marilyn Coulter: Alright. [1:25] Were you in the military? Atanacio Trigo: No. Marilyn Coulter: Alright. [1:28] And what did your parent do? Atanacio Trigo: They, they usually were, were farm workers. Marilyn Coulter: Farm workers? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, yeah. They used to work on the farm. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. And what… Atanacio Trigo: Field work. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. [1:40] And Preciliano, would you please give us your name and address please? Preciliano Anguiano: My name is Preciliano Celestino Anguiano. Uh, my name is – first name is Preciliano. P-R-E-C-I-L-I-A-N-O. Celestino. C-E-L-E-S-T-I-N-O. Anguiano. A-N-G-U-I-A-N-O. And my nickname is Chano. C-H-A-N-O. Marilyn Coulter: [2:08] And your address please. Preciliano Anguiano: My what? Marilyn Coulter: Your address. Preciliano Anguiano: Oh, 319 North Delaware, Saint Louis, Michigan. Marilyn Coulter: [2:15] And are you married? Preciliano Anguiano: Divorced. Marilyn Coulter: [2:17] Do you have any children? Preciliano Anguiano: Three. Marilyn Coulter: [2:20] Boys? Girls? Preciliano Anguiano: Two boys and one girl. Jason [McCormick 2:23], [Ray Anguiano 2:25], and [Esmeralda Maria Anguiano 2:27]. Marilyn Coulter: [2:29] And where were you born? Preciliano Anguiano: Alice, Texas. Marilyn Coulter: In Texas also. [2:34] And, um, your education level? Preciliano Anguiano: Twelfth grade. Marilyn Coulter: Twelfth grade. Preciliano Anguiano: Finished – graduated in ’67. Marilyn Coulter: [2:41] And were you in the military? Preciliano Anguiano: Yes, I was in the Army. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. [2:45] How long were in the military? Preciliano Anguiano: Four years. Marilyn Coulter: Four years. Hm. [2:48] And what did your parents do? Preciliano Anguiano: My dad was a truck driver and my mom was a housewife. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Well, first, um, this question goes to both of you. We can start with, um, Atanacio? Atanacio. [3:03] Can you please tell us – or would you prefer we call you Nacho? Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 3:05]. Marilyn Coulter: Atanacio? [3:07] Atanacio, can you please tell us, um, what brought you to Michigan? Atanacio Trigo: Well a-, actually we were down in Minnesota. Th-, we work on the, on the beet fields over there. Okay, we used to go every summer over there, you know, after school was over. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, I gotta – we had to go school, you know, ‘cause my dad wants to, to – us all to learn English. Yeah, you know, yeah, because my parents didn’t speak English. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Atanacio Trigo: So, we w-, [inaudible 3:39] to Minnesota about four times and my grandfather, he, he used to live in Mason. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, they – that’s on my mother’s side. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: And so, we came to see him about three times, you know, and the same time we had to pick pickles down in Leslie. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, and when I finished high school, we did same thing. First, they went to Minnesota working in the beet fields and then we came over here. I told my dad that I wanna stay here. Yeah, you know, ‘cause I didn’t wanna go back to work in the fields, you know, all that stuff and so – yeah, you know, so I stayed with my grandfather. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. [4:16] So, you came picking beets and stuff cause you – were you like migrant workers? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [4:21] And Preciliano, uh, what did you do before you came here and what brought you to Michigan from Texas? Preciliano Anguiano: Fifty bucks. Marilyn Coulter: [4:28] Fifty bucks brought you to…? [laughter] Fifty bucks? Preciliano Anguiano: [laughter] No, see when I got outta the service, I wanted to buy a car and I needed $50 to buy this – I think it was a Dodge. Anyway, I went around askin’ my family. Nobody had fifty bucks, you know? I would’a got – I probably would’a got a cheaper car but I wanted this car, right? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: So, I think one’a my friends says hey man, let’s go to Michigan. We can find us jobs real quick there. So, I’m okay, let’s go man, you know, and so we came over here. We came here in January, the dead of winter, in 1970. There was snow up the ying yang over there in Saint Louis. I just left some snow over there in Germany and came back over here and, and it was about seven feet high or somethin’ like that. I said, god damn. So, I worked – I ran outta money, so I started workin’ with [inaudible 5:28]. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: I was a bus driver for – transport Indians to their powwows or whatever. They needed a bus – you know, they want to go somewhere and they call the [inaudible 5:39] and [inaudible 5:40] provided with a bus and… Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 5:43]. Preciliano Anguiano: …took’m to wherever they wanted to go. Marilyn Coulter: [Oh 5:46]. Preciliano Anguiano: Then one day, uh, this friend of mine [inaudible 5:51] had gotten hurt and he worked here in Lansing… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …at Fisher Body, so he asked me if I could bring him over here and he had to come to the hospital. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Preciliano Anguiano: Oh, yeah. So, I came over here and, uh, he went into hospital and I was sittin’ at the table and there was a whole bunch of, uh, applications and I started writin’ and then some guy came over and asked me was I finished. I said yeah, [finished with that one 6:16]. So, he took it, you know, and said, well, when can you start? Marilyn Coulter: [6:21] And that’s how you hired in? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, he said when can you start? I said tomorrow. Marilyn Coulter: That’s it. Preciliano Anguiano: So, I – that’s how I started here at Fisher Body. Marilyn Coulter: That’s how you started here. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [6:31] And, and how did you get hired in Atanacio? Atanacio Trigo: Well, see, you know, [inaudible 6:33] first I went to work down at the – at the United [Glass 6:42] on [Aurelius 6:44]. Yeah, they make bricks and, you know, they put color in and everything and I was there for about, hm, for about three months and I came to Fisher Body to apply and then I went to Oldsmobile and then [they call me from 6:58] Oldsmobile but, but I wanted to hire in Fisher Body, so I, I came every week about twice a week and talked to [inaudible] [Bruce 7:07] every time and finally he told me whoa, why you comin’ in so – i-, every time? I, I thought I wanna work. If I let – [inaudible 7:18] and I want to work, [inaudible 7:20]. Yeah, no, so he told me [I could 7:21] report tomorrow night. Marilyn Coulter: Tomorrow night. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [7:27] So, you wanted to work at Fisher Body but why were you so adamant about working at Fisher Body? Atanacio Trigo: ‘Cause m-, ‘cause I knew people who used to work here and they always talk how good of a place it was and everything. I s-, I see a difference. I see a difference by type of work that I was doin’ in compared to that kinda work. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, it was – my type’a work was hard work. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, and everybody tell that it was a better job here and better pay. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. There were times I wanted to go back, you know, but man, I always thought about the benefits. Marilyn Coulter: So, when – you thought about the benefits, so do you – I’ll start with you, Preciliano, this time. [8:07] Do you remember, um, what was the first job you did when you hired in? Do you remember your first day in the plant? What’d you think about it? Preciliano Anguiano: It was scary ‘cause I started in the jungle on, uh, body shop. Marilyn Coulter: And what’s the jungle? Preciliano Anguiano: The jungle is where they, uh, spot weld cars and frames and all that stuff. Marilyn Coulter: [8:25] So, what did it look like? Preciliano Anguiano: They do – that’s where they start the body from. Marilyn Coulter: [8:28] What did it look like? Why do they call it the jungle? Preciliano Anguiano: Because there were hoses all over the place. I mean, it looked like a jungle. Marilyn Coulter: Really. Preciliano Anguiano: They have big hoses and sparks flyin’ all over the place. It was scary and plus, you didn’t know your way around and finally, like, they had to lead you where your job was… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and then – I never had no experience with workin’ in a factory. Marilyn Coulter: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: I had never worked in a factory in my life. I worked in oil fields, I worked in construction, I worked in the fields but workin’ in a factory was a new experience for me. Marilyn Coulter: [9:01] And what was that experience like for you? Preciliano Anguiano: At first it was, like, scary, you know, ‘cause man, [inaudible 9:09] gonna get hurt with one’a these things or get caught or somethin’ but then you get adjusted and then, uh, you do your job. Marilyn Coulter: [9:19] And how long did you work in the body shop? Preciliano Anguiano: Eighty-nine days. Marilyn Coulter: Really? Eighty-nine days. Preciliano Anguiano: Eighty-eight. Marilyn Coulter: [9:28] How long did it take you to learn your, your spot-welding job? Preciliano Anguiano: I say, like, uh, three da-, three or four days. Marilyn Coulter: [9:37] Do you remember what part that you were [inaudible 9:39]. Preciliano Anguiano: I was welding the rocker [inaudible 9:43], the dogleg, the center dogleg, and I think it was the quarter – the rear quarter. Marilyn Coulter: So, these are all different parts [inaudible 9:54]. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [9:55] The base of the car? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [9:56] The [inaudible 9:56] of the car? Preciliano Anguiano: No, no, no. The bottom rocker. Marilyn Coulter: The bottom rocker? Preciliano Anguiano: The one that holds the bottom; the dogleg, the quarter, and the center [post 10:07] for the four-doors. Marilyn Coulter: [10:09] What’s a dogleg though? Preciliano Anguiano: It’s an L-shape metal that, that’s for the door that hook the door on the fender and the top part was for the roof and the center part was for the front door and rear door… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and the quarter is the, the rear fender.. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, okay. Preciliano Anguiano: …the rear quarter. Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. [10:35] Chano, what year did you hire in and how old were you when you hired in at Fisher Body? Preciliano Anguiano: I hired in in 1970 and I was 23. Cheryl McQuaid: [10:44] And what about you Nacho? What year did you hire in to Fisher Body and how old were you? Atanacio Trigo: Hired in 1965, October 12. I, I w-, I was about 19. Cheryl McQuaid: [10:58] And were there a lot of Hispanics working in the plant when you hired in? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, there were some. Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: Hm. Marilyn Coulter: Um… Preciliano Anguiano: Chano. Marilyn Coulter: [11:12] Atanacio, do you remember what your first day was like? You remember the first day? What department you [came 11:19]? Atanacio Trigo: Well, it was different and I had to learn my job. Yeah, you know, the people were, were different. Strange. You know. Marilyn Coulter: [11:29] Strange how? Atanacio Trigo: Well, you know, the [surroundings 11:33] – well, you know, the surroundings and their characters. Marilyn Coulter: The surroundings and their characters. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, ‘cause out in the field, you know, I was not used to that. Marilyn Coulter: [11:43] What department? Atanacio Trigo: I was used more to the open. Yeah, you know, to the fields. Marilyn Coulter: Ah, you were used to bein’ outside. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, you know. Marilyn Coulter: [11:50] And what – do you – did you hire into body shop also? Atanacio Trigo: No, no. Marilyn Coulter: [11:55] What department did you hire into? Atanacio Trigo: On M trim. Marilyn Coulter: In, in M trim. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Uh-huh. Marilyn Coulter: [11:59] So, do you remember what job you did down there? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, [inaudible 12:02] my first job. Marilyn Coulter: That’s your first job? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, and I was putting in defrosters inside [inaudible 12:06]. Marilyn Coulter: You put in defrosters and… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …and you brought a picture. That’s great! Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Thank you. [12:11] But now, when you say it was different and the culture, was – culture because they were different types of people there? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was not used to that. I was used to work with my race. Marilyn Coulter: In your… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. And beside, my English wasn’t that good either. Yeah, you know, so actually by coming here, I, I [inaudible 12:29] my English more better. Marilyn Coulter: [12:30] Now, how was that for you comin’ into a place of different cultures where you’re used to bein’ around primarily Mexican people and then all a sudden, wow, you’re with all these people and you have a difficulty communicating. What was that like for you? Atanacio Trigo: At, at first, I wanted to go back home. Marilyn Coulter: You wanted to go home. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, you know, but man, I thought about workin’ in the fields and workin’ in cotton gin, to work on the silos, work on the grain elevator, man. Sweat, you know, hard work, you know, and here I, I see somethin’ different than, than somethin’ that it work better for me. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, a future. Yeah, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Uh, you’re, you’re, you’re dialect, bein’ able to translate with – communicate with people was better once you came here. [13:14] Was there somebody that you worked with who taught you, who translated for you? How did that work for you? Atanacio Trigo: No, no, no, see, you know, I had to, to – I knew English. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, but not that well enough. No speak it like I do now. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: By talkin’ to other people! Marilyn Coulter: Just by talkin’. Atanacio Trigo: Y-, y-, you know, by havin’ communication with other people, y-, y-, you know, on-the-job training and everything. Marilyn Coulter: So, with on-the-job… Atanacio Trigo: My ability to learn. I, I, I wanted to work. Marilyn Coulter: You wanted to work. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, I liked it. Marilyn Coulter: [13:45] Was there anybody who sorta helped your ability to work and things [inaudible 13:49]? Was there anybody specific who kinda took you under their wing and helped you out? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah! Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [13:54] You remember who that was? Atanacio Trigo: No, no, no [inaudible 13:58]. The thing is, you know, there was a lotta people there. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: A lotta people that want to help me. Marilyn Coulter: A lotta people wanted to help you. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [14:06] So, were you ever treated, um, tsk, differently because you didn’t speak the language that fluently? Or pretty much, people wanted to help you? Atanacio Trigo: Back when I first started? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: No, no. [Inaudible 14:21] no. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: No, everybody. Marilyn Coulter: No, everybody tried to help you. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Everybody was [inaudible 14:27]. Atanacio Trigo: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [14:28] Did you find that to be the same for you? Or you didn’t have that same problem? Preciliano Anguiano: I didn’t have that problem. Marilyn Coulter: [14:33] Um, when, when you hired into the plant and, you know, there were some, uh, Hispanic people in your department too I take it. Um… [recording stops] Okay, gentleman, um, we know that – I know that you, Preciliano, are called Chano and you, Atanacio, are called Nacho. [14:56] Now, were these – well, I’ll start with you first. Um, Nacho, d-, was that somethin’ that you came in the plant with? How did you get the nickname of Nacho? And why? Atanacio Trigo: ‘Cause, uh, you know, ‘cause some people couldn’t – you know, like some people couldn’t pronounce my real name except – the, you know, the Caucasian people, White people, yeah, you know, they didn’t say my real name, so, you know, they call me Nacho. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [15:22] And did you come in the plant with that or did you – was that a childhood name that you came in or did you f-, get that nickname from with inside the plant? Atanacio Trigo: Well, you know, from the outside too. Marilyn Coulter: Alright. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [15:33] So, you came in the plant with that? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [15:35] And Chano, what about you? How did you get your nickname? Preciliano Anguiano: Same way but they, uh, couldn’t pronounce my name ‘cause t-, it was too long and was call Preciliano… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …so they shortened it to Chano… Marilyn Coulter: Chano. Preciliano Anguiano: …and my sisters, they used to call me [Chano Chano 15:51] always. Marilyn Coulter: So, your sisters called you Chano. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, so it got stuck, you know? Marilyn Coulter: Okay. So, for the rest of the interview [inaudible 15:58]. Preciliano Anguiano: For the rest of my life I’m being called Chano. Marilyn Coulter: So, today we’ll call you Nacho and Chano. [16:02] Is that okay? Preciliano Anguiano: [laughter] Or Cheech and Chong. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Cheech and Chong. [laughter] Okay, well, now I know that – now, you both are from the Saint Louis area. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [16:13] Is that true? So, you’re living in Saint Louis and you’ve lived in Saint Louis your whole time that you’ve worked in that plant? How did you get…? Preciliano Anguiano: Nacho worked – I lived in Lansing for almost two years and then I moved back to Saint Louis. Marilyn Coulter: [16:26] But initially how did you get to and from work? Preciliano Anguiano: Carpool and, like, ride together and sometimes by myself. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [16:36] H-, how long d-, how large – how many people rode in your carpool? Preciliano Anguiano: At first, it was four, five, six, then back in the ‘80s I think it was like 23. Marilyn Coulter: Twenty-three! Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [16:53] So, you got a van, a bus, or…? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, we got a… Atanacio Trigo: A bus. Preciliano Anguiano: …a bus. Well, a van and then it was a bus. Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Preciliano Anguiano: So, we w-, [inaudible 17:01] used to bring us over here. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Preciliano Anguiano: Paid him. At first it was like $15. As gas went up, we would start payin’ him more but, but the more we paid was, like, $20… Marilyn Coulter: Twenty dollars? Preciliano Anguiano: …a week. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, ‘cause he used to work here too. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, okay. Earl? Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Yeah, Earl Nicholson. Uh, Chano had told us about, um, his first vehicle and why he came here to get that. [17:26] Did you actually get that vehicle? Preciliano Anguiano: I got – yes, I did. I got my first vehicle and I, I think I work here three months and I bought me a Dodge Charger, purple with white vinyl top. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: What kinda engine [laughter] did it have? Preciliano Anguiano: It had a 383 and man, this car was nice but the first day I brought it to the shop, somebody took a key and [inaudible 17:52] from one end to the other. From the fender to the bumper they scratched it. Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Preciliano Anguiano: Brand new purple charger. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Did ya ever find out who did that? Preciliano Anguiano: No, I didn’t. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: How about you Nacho? [18:06] What about your first vehicle? Atanacio Trigo: My first vehicle was a 1966 GTO. It was, uh, was kinda navy blue with white convertible top, four-speed with, uh, three deuces and it had 389 engine and a four-speed ‘cause I like them fast cars. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Both of you were quite young when you came in. [18:34] When you hired in, was there any pranks or any initiation – new-hire initiations that were played on you when you came in to work here? Preciliano Anguiano: No, not for me ‘cause man, when you work in there, you were beat. [Inaudible 18:48] probably two people that were – you know, as, as time went on… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …oh yeah, they did. They told me I’d get a free turkey. Marilyn Coulter: [laughter] The turkey. Preciliano Anguiano: [laughter] On Thanksgiving, I’d get a free turkey at the, at the union shop but I was already wise to that ‘cause that shit happened to this o-, this other guy beside me and he was braggin’ he’s gonna get a free turkey, a free turkey, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: But I think [Gilbert Trevenio 19:14] told him, hey man, they’re, they’re just pullin’ your leg, man, you know? So, that was the first one but then I – I was already wise to it, so. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. [19:24] What about you Nacho? Atanacio Trigo: No, no, they didn’t… Marilyn Coulter: No pranks? Atanacio Trigo: No. Marilyn Coulter: [19:27] Did you ever notice any pranks that were played on people? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, I, I s-, see that. Marilyn Coulter: [19:32] What was the funniest prank you ever saw played on somebody in the plant? Atanacio Trigo: Like, sometimes they disconnect the motor, something, you know, or put different screws in the box or somethin’. Just crazy stuff. Marilyn Coulter: [19:46] What about you Chano? Preciliano Anguiano: Oh, man, the spot [welding 19:48] – you turn the gun just – the motor of the gun just a little bit to the right or left… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and it would shoot sparks to wherever you tilt it… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and would shoot sparks to your face or – ‘cause we were real close, you know, when we used to do this job. The car – I mean the frame would come and stop right – and you had, like, three or, you know, like five seconds to do [inaudible 20:13] – do all the spot weldin’ and the guy beside you would just tilt it and all the spark would hit you in the face and all over your body, man, you know? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: And this other guy would do the same thing, you know? Tilt it the other way but both of them were funny. They both – they hit you at the same time, go chhh. They had spark flyin’ all over the place. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: So, there’s sparks and everything going. [20:34] Was th-, was there any kind of protective equipment that you had to wear when you were working? Preciliano Anguiano: At first, we didn’t. Then, they gave us a little beanie hat with cloth type – the blue one? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: And a shop coat. Marilyn Coulter: And a shop coat. [20:49] Did you have to wear any eye protection? Hand protection? Preciliano Anguiano: Just some eye protection. That’s it. Marilyn Coulter: Eye protection. Preciliano Anguiano: I mean, you – I think they gave us gloves but nobody could work with the gloves on… Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Preciliano Anguiano: I never wore’m. Marilyn Coulter: [20:59] What about p-, um, Nacho. In this picture that you have that I’m looking – you don’t have glasses on. Atanacio Trigo: We, we w-, uh, at that time, we did have to – [inaudible 21:10] depends what kinda job you were doin’. Marilyn Coulter: It depended on what kinda… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [21:16] And this is back in – this picture says it was dated in February of 1966… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …and… Atanacio Trigo: I had gloves though. Marilyn Coulter: And you had a picture taken of you… Atanacio Trigo: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: …in the plant. [laughter] Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [21:28] That was something that was kind of rare to have happen, wasn’t that not? Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 21:32] maybe if I see my friend who, who thinkin’ who would take this picture, they – he might have some more pictures. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [21:42] So, um, now did you always work in trim – in trim shop? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [21:48] And did you always work in the body shop Chano? Preciliano Anguiano: No. Marilyn Coulter: [21:50] How long did you work in the body shop? Preciliano Anguiano: Just 90 – before my 90 days and then I, I got laid off. Marilyn Coulter: You got laid off? Preciliano Anguiano: And then I came back in ’70 – well, I came back, what is it, June? It was af-, it was before the strike. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Preciliano Anguiano: I came back before – well, I think I there like two – a week or two weeks and came back and then we had the strike… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and, uh, that’s how I got my 90 days… Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Preciliano Anguiano: …when we had the strike. Marilyn Coulter: [22:23] So, what department did you come back in to when you came back? Preciliano Anguiano: Trim. Marilyn Coulter: Into trim. Preciliano Anguiano: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: [22:27] So, you both finished out your time in trim? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah. Of course, I was in the power house there for a while. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Now, I’m gonna go with you first. [22:36] Chano, when you hired in the body shop and then you went into the trim shop, what differences did you notice on working in the jungle in the body shop to going to trim? Preciliano Anguiano: It was a lot cleaner and it was – I mean, the people wasn’t that close. There were no hoses like in the jungle where they drop down from the, from the ceiling, you know. There’s just cars. I started the frame then I, I seen the after effect of when it came, it came out. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: I seen, uh, the colors and the cars and – that we were building instead of the body parts. Marilyn Coulter: [23:12] So, how were the people in trim versus the people in body shop? Preciliano Anguiano: They’re about the same, you know, but there were more women. Marilyn Coulter: More women. Preciliano Anguiano: [laughter] There were more women in trim. Marilyn Coulter: [23:23] So, now what was that like for you going t-, from the body shop where there weren’t many women… Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …and then all of a sudden, all these women are in trim shop. What was that like? Preciliano Anguiano: It was fine. It was fine, you know. They, uh, get along together and I knew mostly all of’m. I mean, I ain’t talkin’ about women. I knew – I get along with other people that I work with… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …some but – not all but some. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [23:49] And now, um, Nacho, you said that you worked in the power house? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [23:52] What’s the power house and what did you do there? Atanacio Trigo: Um, that’s the wastewater treatment. Marilyn Coulter: Wastewater treatment? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. I, I was there for about, you know, for about, you know, for about two years and I had 20 years’ seniority and I was a low man, so I, I had to go back to my – trim. Marilyn Coulter: And you went back to trim. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, okay. So, you worked there a little bit. So… Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 24:15] I wanted to go back to trim, you know, ‘cause we handle more overtime in the power house. Marilyn Coulter: Ah. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. Marilyn Coulter: [24:21] So, what type of overtime were you gettin’ in power house? Atanacio Trigo: You know, you know, you got like Saturday and Sundays. Yeah, you know, ‘cause when I first went over there, there, you know, we had a lotta overtime. Marilyn Coulter: [24:31] You were workin’ Saturdays and Sundays? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, uh-huh. On wastewater treatment. Marilyn Coulter: [24:33] How many hours? Atanacio Trigo: Eight hours. Marilyn Coulter: Eight hours. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Seven days a week. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Oh! Atanacio Trigo: In the end, they come up with a – they, they, you know, they did call it equalized hours. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, and my [inaudible] [just went down 24:46]. You know. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, ‘cause [inaudible 24:52] overtime, it was all volunteer. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Overtime to volunteer. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Alrighty. [24:58] And so, now Chano, um, do you remember what the first job was in trim that you did? Preciliano Anguiano: It was door wires. Marilyn Coulter: Door wires. Oh. [25:09] And what, what did you have to do with the door wires? Preciliano Anguiano: String, string a wire through the door and, uh, string some wire through the body. I did the front door. Marilyn Coulter: [25:22] Now, did you work in teams? By yourself? Preciliano Anguiano: Uh, we work in teams. Three guys to, to do a job. Marilyn Coulter: [25:30] And that required, what, every third job or something? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, every third job. Marilyn Coulter: [25:33] So what was doin’ every third job versus workin’ in the jungle? Preciliano Anguiano: It was a lot easier. I mean, you could, you could get to ride the car until you finish your job. By the time you finish your job, you get a little extra time to get your stock and then put it in the other car and then just ride it down the line. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. [25:49] So, tell me, what types of things did you do for breaks? You wanna start? You can begin. Preciliano Anguiano: [Inaudible 25:57]? [laughter] Well, we used to play cards and, uh, take a break. Marilyn Coulter: You take breaks. You played cards. What kind of…? Preciliano Anguiano: Well, you get a reliefs and then it was – was it three, five minutes? Five minutes? Yeah, like five-minute relief. No, it was three minutes. Marilyn Coulter: [26:15] Are you talkin’ about the six, the six-minute [lagging 26:17] you talkin’ about? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, we had [wagon 26:18] too but I’m talkin’ about the relief – they give you relief. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Preciliano Anguiano: So, they – some guy came over and relieved you. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Preciliano Anguiano: Where you take a break. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, it’s like 12, 14 minutes? Something like that you get relief? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Twelve. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, I forgot how many it was. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Atanacio Trigo: It was 13 or 14. Preciliano Anguiano: [Inaudible 26:33]. Too many – too many Budweisers. Marilyn Coulter: [26:36] So, what [laughter] – what type of cards did you play during breaks? Preciliano Anguiano: Uh, we played Tonk and, uh, poker and – uh, mostly, mostly poker. Marilyn Coulter: Really? And poker – and what… Preciliano Anguiano: And Euchre. Euchre sometimes. Marilyn Coulter: And Euchre. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Euchre’s a game a lotta people play at the plant [inaudible 26:57]. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Atanacio Trigo: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: What about you Chano? How did you – what’d you do for breaks? Preciliano Anguiano: Nacho. Marilyn Coulter: Excuse me. [27:01] Nacho, what did you do for breaks? Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 27:03] my 12-minute break or… Marilyn Coulter: Whatever you did for breaks. Atanacio Trigo: …an-, any time? Marilyn Coulter: [27:07] What you did for breaks, what ya did for lunch. Well, we’ll get to lunch in a minute. What type of things you’d do for breaks? Atanacio Trigo: ‘Cause my thing when I was workin’, I try to stay off, off the line there, you know. [Inaudible 27:17], you know, with my job, so I could come back and have time to read the paper or go, go talk to somebody right quick, or, or go get a drink’a water. Yeah. But, if when I had my break, my real relief break… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: …I would go t-, to talk to some girl or some guy. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Atanacio Trigo: Go to a different department. Just do somethin’. Marilyn Coulter: So, now you said that you worked up the line. [27:46] Can you explain what up the line is and is that somethin’ difficult to do to work up the line? Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 27:51] that’s when you [inaudible 27:55] how you, you stay ahead’a your job all the time. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. You work up, up to the job. Yeah, by the time you get to, to the other job, you got, you got about three or four minutes, Yeah, you know, or maybe I go do my own stock too, you know, all, all the stuff. Marilyn Coulter: So, three minutes is a lot. Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 28:15] I, I always try to make time for myself. Marilyn Coulter: You make time for yourself. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Three minutes is a lotta time… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …on the line. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. [Inaudible 28:24] now though. Now it could be different now. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [28:29] So, um, what did you guys do for lunches? You wanna start with that? What’d ya do for lunch? Where did you go? Where’d ya eat? [Inaudible 28:36]. Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 28:36]. I used to bring my own lunch. Yeah, you know, and then we’d sit down and we – with all the people, yeah, and lots’a friends’a mine. Yeah, you know, or, or else we’d go out. Well, at the end, it got to a point they all used to go out and drink some beer. Y-, yeah, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Just go out and have a beer… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …and come on back to work. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. [29:00] Where’d ya have a beer at? Atanacio Trigo: They used to go to the store and get it. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, you’d go to the store and just [inaudible 29:04]. Atanacio Trigo: Used to drink in the parking lot. Male: [Inaudible 29:05]. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Dave’s [inaudible 29:07]. Marilyn Coulter: [29:07] You’d got to Dave’s Party Store? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, go buy a [Jones 29:10] – a couple’a [Jones 29:10] and drink it in the parking lot. Marilyn Coulter: In the parking lot. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. [29:15] Was that – and Chano, what about you? What did you do for lunch? Preciliano Anguiano: Sometimes to go to the bacteria – you know, cafeteria. Marilyn Coulter: [laughter] The, the bacteria? [laughter] Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, we used to go to… Marilyn Coulter: [laughter] Cafeteria? Preciliano Anguiano: The cafeteria. Most of the time we went to Dave’s and get a quart and a bag of, uh, pork rinds and drink in the parking lot. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: Sometimes we went to Harry’s. Marilyn Coulter: And what…? Preciliano Anguiano: Fridays, Fridays we went to Harry’s ‘cause it was payday, so we went to Harry’s. Marilyn Coulter: [29:42] What was, what was Harry’s and what made payday special about going to Harry’s? Preciliano Anguiano: Oh, they c-, Harry’s is – what is it? Hamburger – the corner beer joint. What do you call it? Neighborhood – uh, they got food, to cash your check, to drink some beers. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 29:59] And they cashed your checks! Preciliano Anguiano: They cashed your checks, yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Really? [30:02] They cash checks there every week for people? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Wow, and now, how close is that to the plant? Preciliano Anguiano: Uh, across the street. Marilyn Coulter: Across the street and what was – that was Verlinden right? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, Verlinden Street. Marilyn Coulter: [30:13] So, um, d-, uh, did a lot of employees cash their checks at Harry’s? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, they did. Marilyn Coulter: Really? Oh! So… Preciliano Anguiano: It was packed on Friday. Marilyn Coulter: It was packed. Preciliano Anguiano: F-, Friday nights and days. Days and nights, you know, you’d go cash your check. [It was a pretty good place 30:29]. Marilyn Coulter: [30:30] And you could also buy your lunch there? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, buy your lunch… Marilyn Coulter: Or drink your lunch. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Go outside in the parking lot and drink a six pack or something. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, a six pack [at 30:39] lunch? [laughter] Okay. Alrighty. [30:44] Um, so how did that work? Did General Motors not mind you goin’ over to Harry’s or your supervisors ever get ya in trouble for goin’ to Harry’s [inaudible 30:53]? Preciliano Anguiano: They, they, they – you know, they – at first, they did but then there’s too many, so they couldn’t… Marilyn Coulter: Some people… Preciliano Anguiano: …then they couldn’t do nothin’ about it. I mean, depend on supervisor. Marilyn Coulter: The supervisor. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [31:08] About the same for you too Nacho? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Well, you mentioned supervisors. That takes us to another place. Um, supervisors. There were good supervisors and there were bad supervisors. [31:19] What made a good supervisor to you guys? [throat clearing] Preciliano Anguiano: Somebody you could relate to. You know, like [inaudible] [Mel Talbert 31:27]. [Mel Talbert 31:31] was – I mean, he would fight for you. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: You know, [Dean Marshal]. [Dean 31:37] I think it was. Superintendent. Marilyn Coulter: [Jim Marshal 31:39]? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. He [inaudible 341:41] people but [Talbert 31:44], he [inaudible 31:45] look, he’s a good worker, comes here every day, he does his job, sometimes he fucks up but I’m the one that gonna tell’m, not you. You know, you tell me, I tell him. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, I see. Preciliano Anguiano: So, give ya a lotta slack. Marilyn Coulter: So, that made a good supervisor. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, he was a good supervisor. Marilyn Coulter: That was a good supervisor. Preciliano Anguiano: I mean I had – I mean, most all my supervisors were good. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: Except for one. Marilyn Coulter: [32:15] And which one was that? Preciliano Anguiano: I can’t remember his name. Uh, used to work in glass. Marilyn Coulter: [32:21] What made him, what made him a bad supervisor? Preciliano Anguiano: Um, he was always in your [inaudible 32:25]. He’s always cussin’. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 32:28]? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah – no, [inaudible 32:30]. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Earl Nicholson. [32:32] Uh, what was the time period for when you were in glass? Preciliano Anguiano: Oh, it varies, man, ‘cause I used to do sunroofs and T-tops. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Oh, I do recall a supervisor named, uh, [Ken Derosa 32:43]. Preciliano Anguiano: No, it wasn’t him. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Okay. Preciliano Anguiano: It was this [inaudible 32:46], some colored guy that worked in glass. Cheryl McQuaid: [Mel Hanley 32:49]. Preciliano Anguiano: No, no, no. Female: [Don Lee 32:51]. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, [Don Lee 32:53]. Male 1: [Inaudible 32:54]? Preciliano Anguiano: No, [Don Lee 32:55]. Marilyn Coulter: [Don Lee 32:56]. Male 1: [Inaudible 32:56]. Oh, [Don Lee 32:57]. Male 2: Oh, I remember him. Marilyn Coulter: [32:59] And what made [Don Lee 32:59] a bad supervisor? Preciliano Anguiano: Well, he, you know, to me, he didn’t know what he was doin’. You know, I – he, uh, he had another problem too. He was in the military and he would get in your face, you know? Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Preciliano Anguiano: And he’d be yellin’ at you and spit would come – comin’ out his mouth. Oh man, [inaudible 33:19]. [laughter] You gonna get the hell away from me man. What the hell wrong with you, you know? I mean, he would get real loud mouth. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. So, he was disrespectful… Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …to you in your opinion it sounds like. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, to me and to everybody. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [33:35] What about you Nacho? What made a good supervisor for you? Atanacio Trigo: They’re somebody you can talk to. They – somebody – they [inaudible 33:43] supervisor that would – they – you would do you job right like it’s supposed to be done, right? And then it had to be their way. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. ‘Cause they could be the book way, I don’t know, man. Yeah, you know, and ‘cause I had a couple or two that were pretty bad though. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 34:02]. One was [inaudible 34:04]. Boy, boy when I c- first came over there, boy, [inaudible 34:10], you know, they [inaudible 34:15]. [laughter] You know, they – yeah, you know, to be honest, they try to discriminate. Marilyn Coulter: They discriminate. Atanacio Trigo: Y-, yeah, yeah, you know. Yeah, you know, by not giving the job that I was required to do… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: …[inaudible 34:28] my seniority, they always give it to, you know, somebody White but, you know, be honest about it. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Y-, y-, yeah, you know. Yeah, you know but still, you know, I fought him, I fought him, and I got my, m-, my job, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Now, is that something that either one of you – I – obviously you ran into – you did. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [34:45] Did you run into discrimination on the job because of being m-, Mexicans? Preciliano Anguiano: Uh, I didn’t ‘cause my job was just – like, just name calling. I mean, call you names but you call’m right back. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: You know, sometimes you get into a fight but, uh, other than that, it just name calling. Marilyn Coulter: Earl? Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Earl Nicholson. [35:13] When you say get into a fight, what do you mean by that? Preciliano Anguiano: Well, like, punch somebody out, you know, [inaudible 35:20]. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [35:20] So, it was, it was physical. A physical altercation. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, either that or in the parking – mostly in the line and, you know, just like you say an attitude adjustment, you know? Couple, three, four swings and then you broke up and your foreman didn’t see it, you were alright, you know, but other than that, it was fine. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: So, uh, so we’ve got, we’ve got into the issue of altercations and, uh, supervisors burning people. [35:49] Um, w-, how was, how was your, how was your union – how was your initial union experience in the factory? I mean, uh, uh, were you – did you get along good with your – and I’m talkin’ to the both’a you. Did you get along good with your, your committee people? Did you know who your committee people were? Uh, did you ever go to union meetings? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, well, I think the best committee man we had was – uh, what was his name? Uh. Male: It was [Al] [inaudible 36:19]. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. [Inaudible 36:21]. Now, he would fight for you. Male: Al [inaudible 36:24]. He’s gone already. Preciliano Anguiano: He’s gone. That was in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Male: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: Early ‘70s – I mean late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Male: And he was the type’a guy that if you put a call out to, he’d come. No matter who you were, he would come out. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. He would – I mean, he would verbally… Atanacio Trigo: He’s a honest man. Preciliano Anguiano: …abuse the foreman and the general foreman, you know, and the – and get, get whatever had to be done taken care of. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: So, he helped ya. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. Yeah, you know, then in my case, you know, supervisor used to come [inaudible 36:54] well, you don’t like it, quit! Go! Yeah, you know. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, ‘cause I was fightin’ for the job they – I was supposed to be doin’, that I applied for but they always gave it to somebody else. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: I would call [Al 37:10], man, and he, you know, he would straighten out. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Alright. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, like [Vern 37:16] told me once, you know, [inaudible 37:17] screamin’ at you? Yeah! Yeah, you know, because I applied for that job, you know, for that repair job and you give it somebody with less seniority. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. Yeah, you know, but [Al] [thing 37:31] work out. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [37:35] So, did you, did you ever attend union meetings? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah, [inaudible 37:40]. Yeah. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Excellent. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [37:43] Did you, d-, d-… Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 37:43]. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: …d-, did – uh, when you were attending the union, did you know who Walter Reuther was? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah! Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: I, I – yeah, I went to Black Lake. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Oh, you went to Black Lake! Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [37:53] Okay, describe Black Lake. Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 37:55]. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [37:57] What d-, what, what is Black Lake? Atanacio Trigo: It’s like a learning center. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Okay. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah, ‘cause me and my girlfriend, you know, yeah, we went camping out there. Marilyn Coulter: We’re gonna come back to there for a second. I wanna go back into the plant for one second. Um, Nacho and Chano, um, we talked about the times you felt discriminated with. We already talked a little bit about language differences that you had. [38:23] Did you find in time because you’re bilingual you were able to help, um, maybe some other Mexicans who didn’t speak Spanish – I mean didn’t speak English, so you had to translate? Were you ever called upon to help your fellow workers that way? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, myself, I did a lotta times. Marilyn Coulter: You did? Atanacio Trigo: Y, yeah, you know, and I even work, I even work [in my department] [inaudible 38:46], you know, ‘cause most’a my time in there, I was a relief man and I would – I work with people there who didn’t sp-, speak English. Marilyn Coulter: [38:57] And so you would translate for them? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah! Yeah, you know, and sometimes they would call me to the office, you know, for me to translate. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 39:04]. Atanacio Trigo: Always doin’ that. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Yeah. [39:06] And did you do that also Chano? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, when I first hired in here, I – they hired – it was three Mexicans, uh, [inaudible 39:16] name, Hector, Hector [inaudible 39:21]? No. [Inaudible 39:22] I think it was… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and Jose Hernandez I think it was… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and they didn’t speak English, so I had to translate for’m. Marilyn Coulter: And you translated. Preciliano Anguiano: And for Poncho, uh, what’s his name? Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 39:37]. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, [inaudible 39:39]. Atanacio Trigo: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: [Inaudible 39:40] I think it was. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [39:42] And he worked in glass here, didn’t he? Preciliano Anguiano: He worked, he worked in the glass area. Marilyn Coulter: [39:47] Now, now he’s somebody that I didn’t know [inaudible 39:49] and, uh, he didn’t speak hardly any English at all, did he? Even when he retired. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, you know what? He did. He did. Marilyn Coulter: He chose not to. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, he, he knows. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Atanacio Trigo: He was no dummy. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh, but he chose not to. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, he didn’t want… Marilyn Coulter: So, that was one way you were able to help, uh, your coworkers. Um. Preciliano Anguiano: And you know what, I helped, uh, some – uh, there’s definitely [Bob Lawson 40:14]. Back then, uh, things like – I think it was like in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: They had put a new phone for him… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …in the supervisor’s office… Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Preciliano Anguiano: …so his wife could call him. Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Preciliano Anguiano: They would, they would type his name, you know, and say my name is [Bob Lawson 40:38]… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …to his wife… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and the supervisor was [inaudible] [Herrera 40:42]. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 40:44]. [laughter] Preciliano Anguiano: And at lunchtime, [laughter] he wanna go – ‘cause his wife always call at lunchtime and he wanna go tell Bob his wife called… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and he would get pissed off ‘cause when he get home, his wife said well, how come you didn’t answer the phone? He said, well, I didn’t know nobody called. So, one day he told me to help him out and my – on my break, you know, when his wife called to go answer the phone… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and to type that Bob will be there in a few minutes… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …so I did and every time, you know, at lunchtime… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …that’s when I was workin’ on glass but every lunchtime I would go and, you know, I hear the phone ring… Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Preciliano Anguiano: …and I go in there and [Herrera 41:28] would tell me hey, [inaudible 41:31] to me there’s a phone call… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …so I go down there and I trans-, you know, I get the phone and picked it up and type hi, my name Chano… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …you know, and I said Bob will be with you in a few minutes. Then I go call Bob and he will go [inaudible 41:45] he will do his thing. Marilyn Coulter: That’s [inaudible 41:47]. Earl Nicholson. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Um, Earl Nicholson. You mentioned a manual for [inaudible 41:53], uh, Latino supervisors? Preciliano Anguiano: Yes, it was. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [41:57] Uh, when you hired in, were there any Latino supervisors on the line – or that you knew of? Preciliano Anguiano: Yes, there was one I think in the body shop where Dave – it was Dave – is it Lopez? It was Dave. I don’t know – I forgot his – I think it was Dave Lopez. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: And this is back in the ‘60s. Preciliano Anguiano: And ‘70s. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: In the ‘70s… Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: …so when you first hired in, there were no, no, uh, no… Preciliano Anguiano: There were – yeah, there was two’a them but I can’t – I can only remember one but I don’t – I can’t, I can’t remember the other one. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [42:32] Uh, when was the – and when was the first time you ever noticed an African American supervisor? Preciliano Anguiano: Oh, there used to be a lot, uh, back in the ‘70’s. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [42:46] And, uh, women? Female supervisors? Preciliano Anguiano: Uh, in the ‘70s – like late – the late ‘70s I think it was there [was 42:49] women supervisors that I, that I can recall but Dorothy was one of’m? I think it was. I don’t know her last name. Marilyn Coulter: Okay, um, gentleman. Questions for you. So, um, you both hired in in the late ‘60s, early ‘70s. [43:20] What are some of the biggest changes that you noticed workin’ in the plant? Either one of you can take it first. Preciliano Anguiano: Well, the most I noticed was… Marilyn Coulter: Chano. Preciliano Anguiano: Chano. The supervisors different. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [43:32] How so? Preciliano Anguiano: Well, at first, they had all the supervisors that were, that were with you for [inaudible 43:39] and they were with you [and then you changed 43:43] but as the time went on, you had this higher supervisor that would come in and they didn’t care what – they didn’t care about the people. They care about their jobs. Marilyn Coulter: So, you’re talking about the contractor supervisors. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, the contractor supervisors. Marilyn Coulter: So, that was a big change. [Inaudible 43:59]. Preciliano Anguiano: That was a big change, you know, and they change the cars back in the ‘80s from – this is ’84 from a Oldsmobile to a Pontiac, uh, Grand Am. Marilyn Coulter: [44:08] So, did the processes change also? Preciliano Anguiano: They did. They definitely did ‘cause when we were buildin’ those 98s and 88s, we used to do, like, 300 – was it 215 jobs from – from when we started ‘til noon… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and then we did, like – I think it was like 245… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …when the shift ended. It was like 500 cars… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …that we did every day… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …but when we got the Pontiac, that dropped, like, s-, say a couple’a hundred jobs. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, and I stayed on ‘til the plant shut – [throat clearing] when the plant went out. Marilyn Coulter: [44:54] So, what type’a changes did you see Nacho? Atanacio Trigo: About the supervisors? Marilyn Coulter: About the building, the environment. [throat clearing] [45:00] What are some of the big changes you noticed from working? You hired in the, the late ‘60s and you retired… Atanacio Trigo: By the time I retired? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. What are some of the big changes that you noticed? Atanacio Trigo: You know, the supervisors too. Marilyn Coulter: Supervisors. Atanacio Trigo: They, they never – only thinkin’ more about their own self. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: About their job, you know. I know the management would, you know, were pushin’m too, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know. Adding more to the people and [inaudible 45:25], you know. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [45:28] Um, what about your coworkers? Did you look at them as family? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah! Marilyn Coulter: Really? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Were they family to you? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [45:36] Um, what’d ya do for holidays and things like that? What kinds of things do you guys do and did you associate – a couple’a questions. Did ya look at’m as family and did you associate with any of your coworkers outside of the work? Preciliano Anguiano: Y-, yeah, yeah, we, we did. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, we go out have cookouts, you know, go out dancing and [inaudible 45:57]. Marilyn Coulter: Cookouts, dancing. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: Most, mostly I did ‘cause mostly all the sup-, mostly the people that I associated with was the guys from here that were from my hometown. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: You know, and, uh – oh! Guys from, like, from Texas, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: And sometimes we go to a friend’s house, you know, a White guy like [Dale Bruner 46:21] or – who was the other one? Uh, can’t remember his name. Marilyn Coulter: So, [inaudible 46:31]. Preciliano Anguiano: ‘Cause sometimes we would hang around with him on the outside too. Marilyn Coulter: On the outside too… Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, yeah. yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …so some people had a big impact on your life on the outside. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Yeah, you know. Marilyn Coulter: [46:41] Um, what about holidays? Did you guys do anything special in the plant during holidays, birthdays? [Inaudible 46:47] Atanacio Trigo: Well, we used to have a pot – was it a pot dinner? Marilyn Coulter: Potluck? Atanacio Trigo: Well, yeah. Male: Potlucks. Atanacio Trigo: Bring a plate or you pay money [inaudible 46:55]. Marilyn Coulter: Hm. [46:57] So, you had benefits also… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …did you not for all the workers? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Um. One’a the things that, um… Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 47:07] ‘cause I, now, ‘cause I live in Lansing for 20 years… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: …yeah, so I knew a lotta people here, you know. Marilyn Coulter: So, you lived in Lansing for 20 years. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, you know, like when we came in summertime, they used to play baseball all the time. I used to play for the union too! Marilyn Coulter: [47:21] So, a question. If you lived here in Lansing for 20 years… Atanacio Trigo: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: …what did your community think of coworkers? What types of things did you hear about people who worked at Fisher Body? Atanacio Trigo: You know, they didn’t say anything. They – oh, you know, they [inaudible 47:37] we got a good job and all this stuff. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, so, no, they didn’t... Preciliano Anguiano: Said we were rich. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: They thought you were rich. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. [laughter] Preciliano Anguiano: [Inaudible 47:47] work for General Motors. Marilyn Coulter: Earl. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Earl Nicholson. Now that we’ve ordered – o-, o-, opened that Pandora’s box, uh, you workin’ at Fisher Body, single. [47:58] You know, what, what, what was that like? I mean, d-, we – were women more or less attracted to you before and after? I mean, you know, you’re a young man, you’re hired in the factory, you’re makin’ a lotta money, you got – you know, I mean, is this somethin’ that when you went to a dance – is that somethin’ that, that you think might’ve attracted women to you? Preciliano Anguiano: Well, yeah! Y-, yeah. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, you know, yeah, you know, because myself, you know, I was well dressed, you know, to go out and everything, you know. Clean, you know… Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Well-mannered. Atanacio Trigo: …and I had money. Yeah, you know, [inaudible 48:35] especially the people that you was brought up with, all, all, all the Mexicans, they – you know, you’re different! Hey, [inaudible 48:46], you know. Well, you gotta good job and other stuff, you know. You makin’ money now, you know. Yeah, you got it made and they’d say yeah, [what you gettin’ there 48:56]? Find out if I got it made. Yeah, you know. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Chano, you were just – I just, just heard you – get a giggle outta you from that [inaudible 49:03]. [laughter] Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, well, I used to know – well, I do know, uh, some Mexicans that, um, they went overboard, you know. They’d show their fancy, fancy rigs and necklaces… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: …you know. You can tell they, they came from nothin’ into somethin’, you know? I mean, it was – I mean, you could see these clowns, man, you know. You could tell. These mother fuckers showin’ off, you know? Damn, man, you know? But other than that, you know… Atanacio Trigo: They showin’ that they got money, all that shit, you know? Marilyn Coulter: [laughter] They had that good GM [inaudible 49:44]. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, yeah. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: So, so… Preciliano Anguiano: But they forgot where they come from! [Goatee 49:47]. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [49:48] So, [coughing] so, working at Fisher Body, would the – did that, did that – elevate you in your own community on some level? [Inaudible 49:59]. Preciliano Anguiano: Not, not mine, no. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: No? Preciliano Anguiano: No. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: They just treated you the same. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, they just same. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Okay. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: The plain Janes or whatever you call it. Marilyn Coulter: Um, [inaudible 50:14]. Um, okay. Gentleman, question to you and that is that, um, in working at Fisher Body, people always said we were noted as the capital of quality. You know, bodies by Fisher. [50:32] What was it that you think made Lansing Fisher Body a step above the rest? What made us the best? Atanacio Trigo: People. Marilyn Coulter: People? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, people in there. Marilyn Coulter: Chano? Preciliano Anguiano: I think the quality of the jobs. You know, there were – [inaudible 50:51] – I mean, you could buy an Oldsmobile, it lasts forever, you know? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: But then we got this new jobs. I mean, they look different from the ones we used to build and people kinda liked’m and you – tell us hey, man, we built it. This is a new car, so look at it, man. Maybe go buy some, you know? Marilyn Coulter: Now I know earlier I asked you too about changes. Now both’a you have been here from a long time where we had one type of working and then in the ‘80s, the late ‘80s, they started having employee involvement. [51:26] What do you think about that or were you ever involved in the [inaudible 51:28] processes? Atanacio Trigo: Uh, what kind’a process? Male: Break. Take a break. Marilyn Coulter: So, when we talk about employee involvement and employees gettin’ involved in the process, I know the quality of work life, otherwise known as QWL, that was something that came around in the ‘80s. [51:49] Was that something that either one of you got involved in? Atanacio Trigo: I did myself though. Yeah, you know. [Inaudible 51:55] I was like lead man… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: …and had to bring back some stuff to the people I relieve and everything. Marilyn Coulter: So, you got involved… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: …because you, you helped give out information. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, right. Marilyn Coulter: [52:08] And what about you Chano? Did you participate in it? Preciliano Anguiano: Yes, I did but you know what? We had, uh, we had a lot in the – well, when I hired in here ‘til… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …’til the ‘80s or – you know the ‘80s then when we started getting that, that, uh, employee involvement and all that… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …but I, I usually went just ‘cause they gave me – they pay me on my lunch hour. Marilyn Coulter: You got paid lunch. Preciliano Anguiano: I got a paid lunch hour. Male: Half hour [inaudible 52:38]. Preciliano Anguiano: Half hour… Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Preciliano Anguiano: …you know, half hour pay and… Marilyn Coulter: [52:41] How often were these meetings? Preciliano Anguiano: They were once a week. Marilyn Coulter: Once a week. [52:44] But, um, do you think that it did have some impact on the product? Preciliano Anguiano: Oh, well, I think it did. Marilyn Coulter: You think it did? Okay. Um, but now I know one’a the things that we both heard you talk about – we’re gonna just digress a little bit. You both talked about strikes. [53:01] Can you talk about – a little bit about the strikes? Maybe the first strike you were on? How long you were off? How did it affect you? Were either one of ya on strikes? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Yeah [inaudible 53:12] back [inaudible 53:14] strike, you know, when they had that, you know, we had the long strike. Marilyn Coulter: [53:18] W-, what, what happened with the long strike? Atanacio Trigo: Well, actually we were fighting for, uh, for 30-and-out regardless of age. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: And for overtime and for our health benefits. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [53:31] How long were you out? Do you remember? Atanacio Trigo: What was it? About six months. I don’t know. Male: Sixty-some days. Atanacio Trigo: Y-, y-, yeah, it was a long time. Marilyn Coulter: [53:37] So, how did that affect you? Atanacio Trigo: It was in winter time. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Atanacio Trigo: Y-, yeah, now my thing out – my think was that I was a captain and I had my, my crew there from 8 – from 8 ‘til about 11:00 at night. Yeah, you know, in front’a, uh, Fisher Body. Right in front’a the doors. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: So, now, you said you were a captain. [53:56] Does that mean you were – had a strike detail or something? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had my, my group. Marilyn Coulter: [54:01] How, how m-, do you remember how many people were in your group? Atanacio Trigo: About five I think. Yeah, you know. And we were gettin’ around – we were gettin’ paid around, around $35 a week. Marilyn Coulter: Oh! Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [54:14] And that was strike pay. Atanacio Trigo: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [54:18] Did you ever have any incidents? Atanacio Trigo: No, no, no. You know, there were people that wanted to come in there but I, uh, put a stop to it, you know. Couldn’t – unless they somebody they [expect 54:30] to be in there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: Y-, yeah, you know, but no, no. [My problem 54:35] was is that people, they used to go to bars and drink a lot though… Marilyn Coulter: [laughter] Atanacio Trigo: …so I had to go get’m. Come on, let’s go back out. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Ah. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Nah, everything went okay. Cold though. Marilyn Coulter: It was cold [inaudible 54:46]. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [54:47] What about you Chano? Were you ever in a strike? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, in the ‘70s, the strike Nacho talkin’ about. Another thing that strike – it was [inaudible 54:56]. We used to work a lotta overtime… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and one day – and the strike, we had – after the strike, we had voluntary overtime to where you had to sign a piece’a paper you wanna work over nine hours. Atanacio Trigo: Hm. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, and I used to have – I worked mostly in the parking lot. I was – I wasn’t the leader but carried little sign that says UAW on strike. Marilyn Coulter: Ah. [Inaudible 55:24] was in the parking lot. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Preciliano Anguiano: I had a lotta fun there, you know. We just sit around, bullshit, and walkin’ back and forth a little bit. Atanacio Trigo: It’s for a cause! Marilyn Coulter: For a cause. Atanacio Trigo: A good cause. Yeah, you know. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Earl Nicholson. Uh, you mentioned, uh, benefits. [55:43] Uh, what were the benefits that you had before the strike as opposed to after? What was the improvement? Atanacio Trigo: We had some better… Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Oh, oh, stop tape. Okay, uh, alright. [56:02] I was just q-, I was just – what I, what I’d like to know specifically is what did you gain from the strike? Preciliano Anguiano: We got a better pension, better vision, dental, and, uh, pay – was it paid personal holidays or was – where you get a, a day a week or was it a month? Marilyn Coulter: A month. Preciliano Anguiano: A month? Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: You get a free day with pay and, uh, that was, that was nice, man. A lotta people used to come in when they had the personal day off. They forget all about it, so they send you home. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: You had a fee day off and come into work, you know, just like a rat fact-, a factory rat? You go to a hole every day to eat your cheese and then [one day they 56:59] [laughter] [put it on the door hinge 57:00], free day. You know, free cheese. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. So… Atanacio Trigo: You guys don’t remember that, no? [laughter] About [the rat and 57:12] cheese? Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [Inaudible 57:14] and cheese. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah, [inaudible 57:15]. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [Inaudible 57:15] nineteen – in the 1990s. Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. [laughter] Earl Nicholson, Sr.: So, let’s, let’s talk – we, we’ve talk about a strike as a work stoppage. [57:24] Were there e-, uh, were they any other work stoppages over a period of time that you’d like to talk about? Preciliano Anguiano: I think we had – one day we had one’a those wildcats, uh, days. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [57:36] You recall a wildcat? Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah, we had one here, uh… Atanacio Trigo: A [inaudible 57:40]? Preciliano Anguiano: It was one day s-, uh, where they just… Male: A walkout. Preciliano Anguiano: Walkout day, you know? Atanacio Trigo: Yeah. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [57:46] And do you remember, do you remember what day that was? Preciliano Anguiano: No, I don’t remember. But we had one’a those [inaudible 57:51]. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: [57:53] It was – was it a wildcat or a…? Preciliano Anguiano: It was a wildcat strike, you know. One day, everybody left the plant. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Wow. Preciliano Anguiano: I don’t – I can’t recall what day it was or what month or what year but we had one. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: So, Cheryl? Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. I’m sorry gentleman, it was so nice talkin’ to you and we need wind up your interview. [58:18] Is there anything that we’ve not asked you that you’d like to tell us about? Maybe your favorite memory? Atanacio Trigo: Like, when you talk about quality in that place there, like myself, you know, all the 33 years that I worked there, I did my best, you know. I did quality work. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Atanacio Trigo: You know, ‘cause I seen a lotta people that would throw their motors and everything, scratch the jobs and everything, you know, but myself, to me it was a honor to work there. Preciliano Anguiano: I had a lotta, I had a lotta fun here workin’. I had a lotta fun working here, you know. I met a lotta people and I seen a lotta people, you know – a lotta people died too. You know, friends that you were friends with here at the plant. That’s the saddest part [inaudible 59:16]. You do your time, say 30 years – 30, 40 years and then you walk out the plant and a year later or six months later, you’re dead. I mean, that’s the sad, the saddest part for my – for me working here, you know, seeing my friends, you know, die and there’s a lotta people here that they’re – I call friends, family [both 59:47] Hispanics, call’m Chicanos then, Latinos, African Americans, Negros, Niggers, excuse me, and Whites, and hillbillies. You know, there was a lot of’m and I glad that I was a part of it. I knew mostly – most of the people that work in trim, night shift and day shift, and there’s a lot of’m. Cheryl McQuaid: Marilyn Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: I have one last question. This has been such a wonderful interview. [1:00:26] Um, but gentleman, I know, Nacho, you said, um, that you were involved in your union. Can you tell me what impact – what you did in your union and what impact your union had on you and then I’d like to stop [inaudible 1:00:39]. Atanacio Trigo: ‘Cause I, I, you know, I learned – definitely taught me how to help somebody else, uh, you know, and by getting involved with the union, you know, and by going to Black Lake, I learned more about the union, uh, you know, and what, you know, like what was the function of the union. You know. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [1:01:06] Chano? Preciliano Anguiano: I wasn’t involved with the union. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: I mean, I came to meetings once in a while but I think the last meeting I came was – had to do with my work, sunroofs and T-tops. They were tryin’ to eliminate it, I think… Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Preciliano Anguiano: …and I came here to union hall, sat down, listened to everybody’s bitchin’, then came my turn to bitch. Well, I only brought it up and then they had to adjourn it. What is – how does it go? You bring it up, then they… Marilyn Coulter: You got tabled? Atanacio Trigo: They tabled it. Preciliano Anguiano: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: They tabled it. Preciliano Anguiano: Tabled it, yeah. Marilyn Coulter: For investigation or something like that? Preciliano Anguiano: Right. At that time, they were looking for, uh, people to count votes and I [inaudible 1:02:02] – I raised my hand up and I [inaudible 1:02:06] to be – count votes. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: Okay. Preciliano Anguiano: And my friend [Hector 1:02:15], he second it and then they put it up to a vote and he was, uh, he was elected. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 1:02:24]. Thank you for sharing your stories. It’s been awesome. Um. Male: It’s great seein’ you guys. Preciliano Anguiano: [Inaudible 1:02:35] very much. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 1:02:35] time. [throat clearing] Male Enjoyed it. Preciliano Anguiano: No offense sayin’ the N word, you know, because I know – I knew a lotta black people. Marilyn Coulter: Chano… Preciliano Anguiano: They were – man, they were nasty. Marilyn Coulter: And we [inaudible 1:02:45] and that’s okay but I’ve known you for a long time. Atanacio Trigo: Because in my case, you know, if he wasn’t for my bad knees, man, I would’a still be there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Now… Atanacio Trigo: [Inaudible 1:02:53] in there. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Earl Nicholson, Sr.: I’m gonna stop it. Marilyn Coulter: You wanna stop it. Cheryl McQuaid: Go ahead. Male: Yeah, go ahead. /ad