Russel Dahlstrom discusses his career as a production worker and UAW member at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI Doug Rademacher: [recorder clicking] Good morning. I’m Doug Rademacher with the Fisher Body Historical Team and we are at the Frank Dryer GreenHouse, and today we are going to be interviewing Russel Dahlstrom. [0:17] Russel, would you please say your name, spell your last name, and your address, please? Russel Dahlstrom: Russel Dahlstrom, D-A-H-L-S-T-R-O-M, uh, 11694 Tompkins Road, Rives Junction, Michigan 49277. Doug Rademacher: Thank you. I’m gonna go around the room and identify everyone that’s in the room. Jerri Smith: Jerri Smith. Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. Marilyn Coulter: Marilyn Coulter. Doug Rademacher: It is January 3rd, 2006 at approximately 8:50 in the morning. [0:55] Russel, would you please, uh, tell me, are you married? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Doug Rademacher: [0:59] Do you have any children? Russel Dahlstrom: No. Doug Rademacher: [1:05] Do you have any education background? Russel Dahlstrom: Just 12 years a high school and the military. Doug Rademacher: [1:10] And which high school did you go to? Russel Dahlstrom: Gibraltar High School, Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Doug Rademacher: Okay. [1:14] And did you have any military service? Russel Dahlstrom: 4 years in the Marine Corps. Doug Rademacher: Okay. Thank you. We want to talk about the history of Fisher Body. [1:25] Do you remember you hire-in date? Russel Dahlstrom: 8/7/78. Doug Rademacher: [1:30] And do you remember that first day? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes, I do. Doug Rademacher: [1:34] Could you share with us the, uh, uh, what brought you to Fisher Body and your getting employed here? How did you find out that there was a job available in Lansing? Russel Dahlstrom: I was in the military in California. Uh, my wife at that time was [Ernie Reiss’s 1:54] daughter, which was the superintendent in the Body Shop, and he – I made connections with him in order to get a job here before I got outta the Service. That was when I got outta the Service, ‘cause I had a job waitin’ at General Motors. Doug Rademacher: [2:11] S-, uh, let me ask you then, you got out of high school, went into the military? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, I got outta high school in ’70 and worked for a while, and then I went in the military in ’74. Doug Rademacher: [2:21] What’d you do prior? What was your other type of work that you do before... Russel Dahlstrom: Um... Doug Rademacher: ...going into the military. Russel Dahlstrom: ...a butcher, meat cutter. Doug Rademacher: Okay. [2:29] And that was somewhere here [car engine] locally around Michigan or? Russel Dahlstrom: No; Wisconsin. Doug Rademacher: Wisconsin. Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Doug Rademacher: [2:34] And, uh, then you went into the military? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Doug Rademacher: And you got married... Russel Dahlstrom: In the military. Doug Rademacher: ...in the military. Russel Dahlstrom: Right. Doug Rademacher: And, uh, and your wife’s father was, uh, helpful... Russel Dahlstrom: [Inaudible 2:45]. Doug Rademacher: ...in finding you some j-, some work. So you... Russel Dahlstrom: Yes, he was. Doug Rademacher: ...so you came to Lansing, Michigan. [2:49] Talk about, uh – did you have to stand in line to get hired? Russel Dahlstrom: No. Doug Rademacher: No. Russel Dahlstrom: No. There was a mailed in – they were doin’ that for Service people, as far as I know. Doug Rademacher: Okay. That’s interesting. [3:03] Would you please then share, uh – you’d never seen any auto assembly. Talk about your first day on the job. Russel Dahlstrom: Um, they had a lotta orientation. Uh, a lotta stuff they were talkin’ about, I didn’t have any idea what they were talkin’ about till we go up, got out on the floor and, uh, a lotta the stuff that the motors and stuff were usin’ at Fisher Body here is what I used as a structural mechanic in the military. So I knew about the drill motors, driver motors. Um, it wasn’t a heck of a lot different than the military. Uh, [Lonnie Duke 3:40] was the supervisor. He was excellent. Uh, [Farmer Pete 3:42] was the old Pickup Man. And, I don’t know, it, it was great. Doug Rademacher: [3:48] Now, was Farmer Pete his name or is that just what, what he was called? Russel Dahlstrom: That’s just what he was called [inaudible 3:53]. Doug Rademacher: [3:53] Just a big fella named Pete, huh? Russel Dahlstrom: [laughter] I don’t think I remember what his real name is. Doug Rademacher: [3:57] And you say he was a Pickup Man. What was... Russel Dahlstrom: Right. Doug Rademacher: ...that? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, he did minor repairs and stuff at the end a the line, covered, uh, bathroom calls, Committee calls, stuff like that, so. Doug Rademacher: [4:08] Would ya share a little bit about – you s-, what was your hire-in date? Russel Dahlstrom: 8/7/78. Doug Rademacher: [4:14] And did you, uh, were you introduced to the union at the same time ya were introduced to the Plant? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes, I believe they were down at the table, um, down in Employment. Um, again, I don’t think anybody knew what as goin’ on, but we found out quick. Doug Rademacher: [4:31] Was there a, were you, uh, how do they call it, herded out to the Assembly, Assembly Line? Did a supervisor come and pick you? How would that go? Russel Dahlstrom: A supervisor came in, Lonnie Duke came in, and, um, pointed his finger, “You, you, and you. Let’s go,” and away we went, up in a part a the building. The second day when I came into work, I didn’t even know where the heck I was the first day, so. It’s just, ya know, ask, ya know, and that’s the way ya learn. Doug Rademacher: And – uh, Marilyn... Marilyn Coulter: Marilyn Coulter. Doug Rademacher: ...Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: [5:10] Do you remember, uh, what your first job was and who taught it to you? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, I think that was, that was Farmer Pete, and that was, uh, loading seats, loading the rear seats off the conveyor. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [5:27] Did it take you – what was it like to learn the job? How long did it take you to learn the job? Russel Dahlstrom: ‘Bout an hour. I had 4 days in the Plant, I had the whole area learned. Um, I was there for the first day, I did that job plus one other job boltin’ in the s-, b-, uh, the seats, and they asked me if I wanted to be a Utility, and I said, “Well, is that more money?” They said yeah, I said okay. So it took me 4 days and I learned all the jobs, and 17 days later, they asked me if I wanted to be on Repair, and I asked’m again, I said, “Well, is that more money?” They said yeah. So they loaded me in one a the body trucks and sent me over to Chasse, and that’s where I spent my first 2 and a half years. Marilyn Coulter: [6:10] So you spent your – Marilyn Coulter – you spent your first 2 and a half years at the Oldsmobile plant? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, I was here for 17 days, then I was over there. Marilyn Coulter: And then you were over there for 2 years. Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, mm-hm; 2 and a half years. Marilyn Coulter: [6:23] Um, what was it like, what were the people like during your first 17 days at Fisher and then what were they like when you went over to Chasse? Was there any differences that you saw? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. The people that I, that I was with up in [3X Second 6:41], um, there was one regular employee there; all the rest of us were all new employees. It’s like four jobs in each direction from where I was. So and nobody knew what was goin’ on, ya know. We got over at Chasse, we worked Repair at the end a the line, and those were all 20 to 30-year people; everybody knew what was goin’ on. Marilyn Coulter: [7:08] So what was it like workin’ with twen-, those thir-... Russel Dahlstrom: [Inaudible 7:13]. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. How’d they treat you as a new hire? Russel Dahlstrom: Real good. Real good. [Ted 7:15] Ol-, [Ted Oliver 7:15] and [Larry Wright 7:17], um, [Tim Sheenan 7:19], [Bob Crater 7:20]. They were all good. [Jim, Jim Beck 7:23]. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, we had a good time over there. Doug Rademacher: Doug Rademacher. [7:29] Russ, were you still a 602 member working at the Repair hole at 1, or was it 150 then or? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, it was 32 and 150, yeah. Doug Rademacher: Yeah? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Doug Rademacher: [7:39] And those were buildings? That’s what they were... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, Building... Doug Rademacher: ...just the numbers? Russel Dahlstrom: ...#2 and, uh, uh, C Line and A Line. Doug Rademacher: [7:46] So you were gaining Fisher – you were always a Fisher employee. Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Yes. Doug Rademacher: Okay. [7:51] Uh, which shift did ya hire onto? Russel Dahlstrom: The second shift. Doug Rademacher: [7:54] And how’d that work for ya? Russel Dahlstrom: Great. Doug Rademacher: [7:58] You were married but you had no children, but you were, uh, you found the second shift a workable shift? Russel Dahlstrom: Right. I’ve been on second shift, except for right now, all except for I think 26 months outta 27 years. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Russel Dahlstrom: So. Doug Rademacher: And you prefer that? Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yeah, definitely. I don’t get along with the alarm clock. I had the same thing in the military. Doug Rademacher: They got ya up, though, with Revelry, right? Russel Dahlstrom: Nope. Doug Rademacher: No? Russel Dahlstrom: Second shift. Doug Rademacher: Second shift in th-, in the military too, huh? Russel Dahlstrom: You betcha. [door opening] Doug Rademacher: Okay. [coughing] [door closing] Marilyn Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: Um, just to go back so that people who will listen to that know that Fisher Body Plant and Oldsmobile, which is also known as Chasse, was one a the last places that started a ve-, the vehicle in one plant, put it on a body truck, and sent it to another plant to get finished, and that’s why you would go to the other side to do the Repair from our plant into another plant. Russel Dahlstrom: Do Fisher Body repair at Chasse, right. Doug Rademacher: Otherwise known as the dinosaur, the last dinosaur plant in North America. Marilyn Coulter: Exactly. Doug Rademacher: [murmuring] [9:05] Was there a time where you were ever laid off? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes, in ’81 I believe it was. I was off for, [papers rustling] uh, 7 months, and that was back when we drew TRA, so that was great. Doug Rademacher: [9:25] And can you explain what TRA was? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, Trade Reassurance Adjustment [door opening] Pay, and I don’t remember [background noises] how much it was per week, and it didn’t kick in right aw-, or it kicked it right away, but we didn’t receive the checks for like a couple a months. [background movement] So when th-, we finally [banging] got’m, I had 17 checks [background noises] come in the mail at one time. [laughter] Doug Rademacher: [9:47] Do you remember what that program was all about? Russel Dahlstrom: Something about the import, importing vehicles from overseas. I don’t remember exactly what all it was, but. Doug Rademacher: Okay. That, uh, I remember that myself. [10:04] Um, and did you, uh, ever have your seniority break ever? Russel Dahlstrom: No. [door opening] Doug Rademacher: You worked right on through. Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Doug Rademacher: [10:11] Were you, [throat clearing] were you familiar with, uh, any strikes? Was there ever a strike when you worked for 20? Russel Dahlstrom: Noth-, nothin’ at our plant, no. Doug Rademacher: Marilyn Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: [10:24] Can you tell me, what was it like, what was the environment like inside? [coughing] Uh, take us through a day working inside the Plant. What was it like? What were some a the things you did? How did you get along with your people? What types a things did you do to pass time? Were there any pranks pulled? Russel Dahlstrom: [coughing] I don’t know so much about any pranks we had pulled. Marilyn Coulter: [10:46] Did you pull any pranks on anybody? Russel Dahlstrom: I don’t think there’s many I should talk about. No. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [10:51] Is there one that you can? Russel Dahlstrom: Um, yeah, we had, I don’t know, we had perma-gum fights, we had water balloon fights, we had, uh, somebody happened to urethane [Paul Grant’s 11:02] telephone [coughing] receiver. Um. Marilyn Coulter: [11:08] Um, so that the people have an idea of what that is, can you tell’m what perma-gum and urethane is, actually? Russel Dahlstrom: Perma-gum’s just a sealer, like a putty, a black putty. Um, it was good for water leaks, minor stuff, uh, for black out. Um, urethane was what held the windshield, the glass in, and you didn’t wanna get that on you, ‘cause you wore that off, and back then, I don’t even think they had – they had oleum to clean it with, and that only did half a job. Um. Marilyn Coulter: [11:44] So for somebody to urethane somebody’s phone is a bad thing. Russel Dahlstrom: Just for the person who’s on the receiving end of it. [laughter] For the rest of us, it was quite good. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [11:54] And Paul Grant was a supervisor at that time... Russel Dahlstrom: Yes, he was. Marilyn Coulter: ...wasn’t he? Russel Dahlstrom: Yup. Excellent supervisor. Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [12:00] So what was a – I mean, did you guys have dinners? Um, was anything special that you remember about workin’ as far as the people that you worked? Russel Dahlstrom: Back then, not so much dinners. Um, not that I remember, anyway. It was good workin’. Uh, it was enjoyable to come to work, ‘cause you could talk. Everybody, everybody talked [car engine] up and down the line [car engine] all day long. We had a good time. Like holidays, deer huntin’ season, uh, summer projects, what’s everybody doin’, places to go. There’s always somethin’ to talk about. Radio’s goin’, good music. Marilyn Coulter: [12:36] So what type of music did you normally listen to inside the Plant? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, mostly country, as far as I remember. Marilyn Coulter: Mostly country? Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm. Country and, well, back then it wasn’t oldies; they’re oldies now. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [12:51] S-, so, um, while you were doing that when you were talking about all the different things, did you develop any long friendships that even extended outside of the Plant? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. There’s a few people. Um, [Dwayne Barker 13:08], um, there’s a couple – I don’t remember who the heck all. Marilyn Coulter: [13:20] So did you vacation together or hunt... Russel Dahlstrom: No. Marilyn Coulter: ...together? Russel Dahlstrom: No, hunted together and stuff like that. Ya know, nothin’ major. Just, uh, played softball, softball games and stuff, uh, hunted, uh, worked at his place, worked at my place, so. Marilyn Coulter: [13:36] S-, so did you play on any of the Fisher Body UAW... Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yes. Marilyn Coulter: ...[fall 13:39] softball teams? Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yes, oh yes. Uh, we were – matter a fact, I think it was – man, I don’t remember what year it was, but we were champions, anyways. Marilyn Coulter: [13:51] Uh, and that was with other members... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...that you worked with? Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm, mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [13:56] And was this – this was a yearly thing that... Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: ...went? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: I can’t remember the name a your team either, but I remember. Russel Dahlstrom: [Inaudible 14:02]. [background movement] Doug Rademacher: Russ – Doug Rademacher here. Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm. Doug Rademacher: Could you talk about – you said you were a butcher... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Doug Rademacher: ...at one time. Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm. Doug Rademacher: [14:17] What, uh, why’d ya hire into Fisher Body? I know your wife’s father had that opportunity, but why did you, uh, choose [background noises] the auto industry over going back into your, uh, meat cutting ex-, expertise? Russel Dahlstrom: [chair squeaking] Um, security, job security. Um, my father-in-law told me that there was a lotta people, uh, they were hiring in a lotta people and I figured, well, if I can get in here, I can get in on the ground floor, [background noises] and, uh, I don’t know, have a job the rest of my life, I hope, ya know, until I could retire. And I was at, uh, it was at a time when I needed to get something as far as retirement going, get it started anyway, ‘cause I was 26 years old, so. Doug Rademacher: Okay. Marilyn Coulter had asked you about a day in the Plant. [15:15] Can ya talk about getting’ ready for work, showin’ up? How did the day go? What was a, what was a day at the factory? Can you walk us through a day? Russel Dahlstrom: Um, well, just gettin’ up and comin’ into work, make sure you knew where you were goin’. Uh, check in with the boss, see who’s here and who wasn’t here, when I was on Utility. Um, cover that job, good job, bad job, whatever it took, but that’s where ya were for the day. And when I was on Repair over at Chasse, that was excellent. You checked, you check in with the boss and he made sure you were there, you had your 2 or 3 stalls out there where they’d pull the cars in that you’d work on and you start at the beginning a the shift; when your 8 hours are up, or if they wanted ya to work over, [clicking] whenever they wanted you outta there, you were done, ya went home. It, it doesn’t get any better than that. Marilyn Coulter: Marilyn... Doug Rademacher: So. Marilyn Coulter: ...Coulter. [16:07] Did you carpool? Did you drive by yourself? Russel Dahlstrom: No. Marilyn Coulter: How’d you get to work? Russel Dahlstrom: Drove by myself. Doug Rademacher: How f-, Doug Rademacher. [16:17] How far was it to come to work? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, Grand Ledge I think is, what, 12 miles, somethin’ like that. Doug Rademacher: Okay. Marilyn Coulter: [16:24] And if had, don’t know if I had, we had asked this before – Marilyn Coulter – now, did your wife work in the Plant also? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, no. Uh, I divor-, we got divorced ‘bout 15 years ago, and I remarried a gal that did, does work in the Plant, or did work in the Plant; she’s retired now. Marilyn Coulter: [16:45] So a workplace romance. You wanna tell us about that? How was it... Russel Dahlstrom: Eh. Marilyn Coulter: ...how was it to have a relationship in the Plant, ya know, working with that person that you’re fallin’ in love with and then once you married her, what was that like to work every day with your spouse in the same – did you guys work in the same department? Russel Dahlstrom: We worked one job away from each other. Marilyn Coulter: And how did that go? Russel Dahlstrom: Excellent. Marilyn Coulter: Really? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, it was great. Marilyn Coulter: It was great. Russel Dahlstrom: You betcha. We were, we were our own best friends. We could, anything. Everything and anything, we did everything together. Still do, except she’s retired. Marilyn Coulter: But she’s retired. [sniffing] [17:25] So, um, how was it th-, [thumping] d-, how did the coworkers react to you two [chair squeaking] when you started your romance? Russel Dahlstrom: Eh, a little hemmin’ and hawin’ here and there, but, uh, most of’m pretty much keep their mouth shut. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: S-. Doug Rademacher: Doug Rademacher. [17:50] Russ, did you have any other family members that work at the f-, [coughing] Plant? Russel Dahlstrom: I had a brother-in-law that’s, uh, [Dwayne Reese 17:56], was a supervisor in the Shop, and a nephew, which was [Bobby Reese 18:02], which was his son, worked in Trim too. Doug Rademacher: Okay. Now, talk a little bit about – now, you said you found your love a your life and your romance, uh, right there in front a you on the, on the line. [18:17] Can you talk about what it was like to work around women and minorities? How did that impact you? [chair squeaking] Were you f-, were you comfortable with that or was that something you had to learn? Russel Dahlstrom: I don’t think it impacted me very much. Um, I’m pretty much straightforward. Um, [sniffing] I don’t much care who I’m talkin’ to, man, woman, black, white, I could care less. Uh, everybody’s the same, especially in that environment. Y-, you have to get – treat a people, treat the people like human beings and they’ll treat you great. I’ve never had a problem with that. They need their back scratched, I need mine scratched. Everybody scratched each other’s back in there and it’s a good working relationship. Marilyn Coulter: [19:05] Did you ever find... Doug Rademacher: Marilyn Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: ...did you ever find that the people that you worked with became a work family for you... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...[inaudible 19:13]? Russel Dahlstrom: To a point, yeah. Mm-hm. Yeah. But that takes a while to get that too. That’s not somethin’ you just step into. That – you get a group that will work like that together, that’s few and far between. Marilyn Coulter: [19:28] Have you ever had the opportunity to work with a group like that? Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yes, yes. Marilyn Coulter: [19:32] Does... Russel Dahlstrom: Yup. Marilyn Coulter: ...how does a, how do the two different types of work family to non-work family, how does that affect your day? How did that affect your day? Russel Dahlstrom: Very much. Uh, um, [clicking] if you have a group – I had’m up in Door Panels. Everybody knew everybody’s job, everybody knew how, how to do the jobs, everybody knew what was expected of’m; everybody knew everything about everything in that group. Um, as long as they stuck together and everything was out on the table, it was great. If management could get ahold a one person, um, to do something for them or play favoritism, your whole group was, you, you’ve lost it, you’ve lost what you had as far as everybody – you’ve lost the honesty of it, you know, and the communication, and without that, um, it’s back to just goin’ in and workin’ for a livin’; it’s not goin’ into laughin’ and havin’ a good time. And, ya know, everybody was on their toes, everybody watches what they say, everybody watches what they do, ya know. Marilyn Coulter: [20:52] So, when we say things like that, so, what are the different types a th-, you knew a lotta supervisors, you had, a... Russel Dahlstrom: [Inaudible 20:59]. Marilyn Coulter: ...a cousin and a brother-in-law and... Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm, mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...a father-in-law that was, were in upper management, and what, what was a person who made a good supervisor and a bad supervisor to help you rday go along? Russel Dahlstrom: Um, honesty. Some supervisors in there, um, would tell you part of a story, they tell you part of what’s going on. Another supervisor would just come right out and say, “Hey, word’s comin’ down from the top. This is the way it is.” Uh, you learn to respect that person, uh, for telling you [car engine] exactly where stuff is coming from and how it’s happening. Paul Grant would come around every payday, shake your hand, tell you, “Hey, thanks for a good week.” Ya know, stuff like that. You don’t see that anymore. You don’t see any a that anymore. Marilyn Coulter: [21:48] You’ve had time, and now we have, um – supervisors used to come up through the rank in [plants 21:54]. Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: Right from the line, and they, and they graduated up to supervision. Now, as we come to a close on Fisher Body, as we do it, and we get more people who are like contract supervisor who come in straight from college or maybe straight from Burger King... Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...and now they’re supervisors. How had that impacted the automotive industry to you? Russel Dahlstrom: It’s pathetic. [laughter] You got people in there, um, they’ll tell ya right straight out, “Contract supervisor, I’ve never worked in a production area before.” [tapping] They don’t have the slightest idea. They don’t have the slightest idea what the contract book says, ya know, what the rules are on the shop floor. They get told only what their seniors want them to know and do. Our area used to tell the su-, contract supervisors when they came – we went through 4 of’m in about a year and a half. We’d hand’m the contract book first thing. “You got any questions, start readin’.” Ya know, “Hey, it’s all in there.” [sniffing] Marilyn Coulter: [22:56] So, your title when the line went down was what? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, TC, Team Coordinator. Marilyn Coulter: [23:05] And Team Coordinator did what? Russel Dahlstrom: It was kind of a middle man between the line worker and, uh, supervisor. Um, cover bathroom calls, painting calls, uh, went to meetings, troubleshooting, uh, problem solving, um, communications person for, for the supervisor to the people if he didn’t wanna take time to do it. Um, since we got the contract supervisors, we more or less ran the groups ‘cause the supervisor didn’t know how. Marilyn Coulter: [23:40] So, now, you’re doing that... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...in 2005, 2006 timeframe. How has that employee impact changed from 1978 when you hired in? Russel Dahlstrom: In seven-, ’78 when I hired in, if a supervisor came to – well, let, let me put it this way: I was up working on a job when I was breaking in hanging, or punching door panels, punching out switches and the window cranks, and I stuck a left-hand door in a right-hand fixture and I slammed it and made a pretty big mess out of it. Uh, instead a having someone holler at me, I took it up [inaudible 24:16]. So I looked around me and said, “Who’s gonna know I did it?” ‘Bout 10 minutes later, Lonnie Duke come walkin’ back through there with that door panel in his hand. He says, “Who in the hell did this?” I raised my hand, “I did.” He said, “Do it again and you’re fired.” He said, “Why did you do it?” I said, “’Cause I didn’t [tapping] figure anybody’d catch it.” I ain’t gonna lie to’m. And that’s when he said, he says, “Do it again and you’re fired.” No problem, won’t happen again. But that’s the way [inaudible 24:43], ya know. Marilyn Coulter: [24:47] But has it evolved through where now employees – did you ever, first of all, ever think that an hourly line employee would have the impact and the input on production that you do now? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, no. But we still only had a certain amount. You can tell them and show them anything you want to, but what the bottom line is is when they stand up there and say “Turn that line on and let’s go,” that’s it, so. Which they do; they take a lotta your input, they do, but [inaudible 25:27], ya know, when they say build cars, it’s build cars, so. Doug Rademacher: Doug Rademacher. [25:33] You had said something a little bit ago about the job duties of, that you had at the time of the Plant going down. You said can call. Uh, you’ve said bathroom breaks and can call. Can you explain what can call is and do you really, can ya go back to where that came from? Russel Dahlstrom: That was there before I started. Um, can call’s just when somebody’s gotta go to the bathroom between reliefs, then the line’s running, and they won’t shut the line down for ya, so you holler at me and I’ll do your job as long as you’re gone to the bathroom. You come back, I’ll go to someone else or do somethin’ different, so. The same thing with committee calls. When the line’s runnin’, somebody’s got a committee call, when the m-, committeeman comes out, you do the job while he takes care a business, so. Doug Rademacher: Cheryl McQuaid. Cheryl McQuaid: [26:23] Russ, did you ever, did you ever know of anybody or did you just turn your back and say, “I’m not coverin’ them for a can call?” and did you know anybody that ever did somethin’ like that and what did that employee do? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, I don’t think I ever did. I don’t believe I’ve ever done that. Um, I’ve known people that have done it. [Inaudible 26:50] still it happens, you hear about it. Um, I know one person got 3 days or a week off. Um. Cheryl McQuaid: [27:00] For doing that to... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...another employee? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. But he had done it enough times that [background movement] finally the employee brought it to the supervisor’s attention and they kinda set him up [papers rustling] so that the supervisor just happened to be there when she asked for one and then he told her to where to get off, and boom, out the door he went. [papers rustling] But it, it’s stupid. If, if you’ve got a problem [car engine] like that, that’s what a supervisor’s for; go talk to’m. Ya know, if you believe someone’s, uh, doin’ ya wrong, hey, go talk to the boss. Ya know, they’re, they’re there for everything. That’s their job. DR: Russ, in – Doug Rademacher – in the position you had, uh, each week, you said the supervisor would bring over your check, and a good supervisor [papers rustling] [door opening] would thank you for the work you did the week before. [background noises] [27:38] Can you talk about things that happened like [door closing] the, uh, check pools? Did you ever run a check pool? What, and exactly what is that? Russel Dahlstrom: I didn’t run a check pool, but I was in on one for quite a while. Yeah, you take, uh, either your last three of your check number or change, um, sometimes ya ran a wild, wild number for a wildcard, play it like a card game. Yeah. We had a lotta those goin’. It was fun. I don’t, I don’t remember ever winning one, but [laughter] I remember bein’ in there. I donated a lot. Doug Rademacher: Marilyn Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: [28:34] Um, [papers rustling] do you remember what was one of, one of your most happiest and your saddest moments in the Plant? Doug Rademacher: [28:57] D-, do you remember, did you ever have a opportunity where you could help – this is Doug Rademacher – uh, [clicking] where you could help an employee? Did you ever do somethin’ where someone was struggling and you actually had an impact and, and made a, a good day for someone else or something that was rewarding where you, you, uh, made a difference in another person’s, another coworker’s... Marilyn Coulter: Uh... Doug Rademacher: ...workplace? Marilyn Coulter: ...try to do that on a daily basis. Part of being a Team Coordinator, uh, watch the people. Everybody in there has a bad day. Everybody has a good day. If someone is havin’ a bad day, ask’m if there’s somethin’ you can do for’m. Um, tell’m to take a break. Um, everybody does that for everybody. As far as a good day and a bad day, the best day and the worst day? [background conversation] Wow. Right off hand, I can’t think of it. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 29:56]. Doug Rademacher: [29:56] Well you spoke of a great job over at 150 or doin’ the Repair job. Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm. Doug Rademacher: Was that your best favorite job and what was your worst job you ever got put on? Russel Dahlstrom: That’s, that’s the best job I ever had was doin’ Repair over at Chasse, yeah. Worst job, uh, I would have to say was when I got laid off and brought back into the Body Shop, [background conversation] working for [Alex Villanueva 30:22] spot welding in tail panels on the Eighty-Eights and Ninety-Eights. I had never had such a job in my life, and the day they said I could get outta there, by golly, that might a been the best day, when they said, “You got your return rights comin’ through” and I was outta there. Doug Rademacher: [30:40] Return rights. What does that mean? Russel Dahlstrom: Back in, back into Trim, because they laid people off and they didn’t have seniority to hold it. [background conversation] Doug Rademacher: [30:47] Knowing that you worked [coughing] in what you just said, that worst-job environment, had the opportunity to go back to the Trim Department where it was somewhat cleaner and, uh, probably quieter, could ya tell me, did ya think much in the 27, 28 [background noises] years you’ve been there now about the people that worked every day down in that Body Shop? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, there’s a lotta people that liked it. The person I was workin’ alongside of doin’ that tail panel job, he loved it. He was, he walked around like he was half-asleep all night long [laughter] and I was just bustin’ my butt tryin’ to stay up the line, but everybody’s got their way a doin’ things. Um, [background movement] everybody’s got a different job, everybody likes a [door opening] different job. There’s a lotta jobs in there, and they all get [door closing] filled. Doug Rademacher: [recorder clicking] [sniffing] Doug Rademacher. [31:40] Russ, would you – [background conversation] uh, you were just talking about, um, escaping from the Body Shop, um, and we talked about [clicking] the people [clicking] that chose to work down there and made it look easy. So can you elaborate about the different areas a the Plant that you worked in and, uh, about what it’s like to work an assembly line? Russel Dahlstrom: Well, I worked in Body Shop, when I was down there on tail panels. That was I believe the worst job ever put on Earth. But then again, I got – went back to Trim and I got reduced back into Body Shop again. [background conversation] Um, I had, uh, three spot welders and a make welder, and I loved that job. I could, [car engine] after I was there for about a week or so, I could do most a the jobs. A Pickip Man come over, [papers rustling] over by my stuff, [papers rustling] my equipment there, my welders. So he would do repairs on vehicles when I wasn’t usin’m. Uh, I got good enough where I could do part a his repairs and, I don’t know, made the night go by. Um, there were gals in there I bet didn’t weight 125 pounds; I betcha the spot welder they were runnin’ was 180 pounds, and they made it look like child’s play [background conversation] where other people were in there, they’d be musclin’ everything around, they’d be so tight and sore when they walked outta there at night, I don’t know how they ever made it outta there. [sniffing] Um, [background conversation] worked in Paint. [background conversation] Uh, didn’t care for any a that. The smell up there was enough to – I think that was my main thing. The jobs were fairly easy, but I didn’t, I didn’t care for that. Most – I like Trim. [background conversation] Just, uh, [background conversation] even if it was hangin’ door panels or, um, throwin’ carpets or regulators, anything; it was, that was the place to be. [coughing] If you didn’t like your job, you got to see everybody else’s job; put a transfer in and move. Ya know? There’s jobs for everybody. Doug Rademacher: [33:43] Would you please share about the working conditions from when you hired in and the envir-, the environment? Was there, uh, good lighting? The air? H-, what was it like to work, uh – and again, what, you were building a car a minute? Can you share – that’s pretty busy, isn’t it? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, yeah. We’ve come a long way as far as how the jobs are. They’re, they’re a lot easier now than what they were then. There was a lot more I guess what you’d call manual labor; heavy lifting, bending, twisting. [car engine] Um, everything now, all those doors come down the line now, they aren’t even hooked to the, hooked to bodies anymore. Ya know, everybody’s in an upright position and they come a long way on that, but yet they keep addin’ the work to it too, ya know. It, it works out about the same, but it’s a lot cleaner and a lot quieter. There’s no comparison as far as noise. Used to be if it wasn’t the equipment makin’ the noise, it was the page system all day long, “bong, bong, bong,” ya know? But it – yeah, we’ve come a long ways. But it’s still no picnic. [background conversation] Doug Rademacher: [34:58] How did you, uh, spend your lunch breaks? Russel Dahlstrom: Generally, just sittin’ on the side a the line until one day a guy asked me if I wanted to go over to Harry’s and grab a hamburger, [tapping] and after that, it was [throat clearing] not so much the hamburgers anymore but a couple of ice cold beers. [laughter] Doug Rademacher: [35:17] And what is Harry’s? Russel Dahlstrom: Harry’s is the bar across the street. They have sandwiches and shrimp and [coughing] fish and pizza and [coughing] beer and. But it was good. Doug Rademacher: [35:33] There’s been talk of this Harry’s place, uh, [clicking] goes way back, uh, many, many years. I guess there was even a strike, you’d go there for strike pay and sign up with that back in the ’40s, they had pictures of it. So this has been a stable for the Fisher Body Plant. What was it like to walk into Harry’s at lunchtime? Russel Dahlstrom: Busy. If you want a drink, you better get up there and get it, because you didn’t have much time to waste there. I never saw so many people get served in s-, so short a time in my life. And there were people over there, he had his little file boxes behind the, uh, [coughing] bar back there, a little, held the little I think 4x6 cards. Doug Rademacher: Like a recipe card. Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, there ya go, with everybody’s bar tabs on it. You’d see people in there on payday shuckin’ the money across the bars and, oh man, if you needed money, go to talk to’m. He’ll give you money. Be a little interest involved, but oh yeah. [car engine] He did everything for everybody, as long as there was a dime to be made. [background conversation] Doug Rademacher: [36:36] So you say he did everything. Are you referring to payday? What, what’d he do on paydays? Russel Dahlstrom: Oh, he’d cash all your checks, they’d put in a separate b-, uh, separate bank window in there and they’d take the change from your checks, they’d charge ya for cashin’ your check, um, you’d pay your tabs, everything. Uh, he had his own little bank set up in there. Doug Rademacher: [37:03] Um, I guess do you wanna share a story about something they used to call The Wagon? Was that there when you hired in? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes, it was. Uh, came around [background noises] at least twice a day. Didn’t mess with it much in the early part a the day, but the evening one was nice. Came around I believe it was 12:12 was when the wagon came. They got chips and, uh, pop and milk and [car engine] there was 7 minutes you could go up there and sit, kick back and relax. There was an extra break time, that we eventually lost. But that, was, yeah, that was, that was nice. It was a nice little break. [car engine] Doug Rademacher: Marilyn Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: [37:48] Now, I know that they also had employees who did vending. Um, will you tell us a little bit about the employee vendors and did you partake in any of their goods and services? Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yeah. The one that brings to mind is [Darryl Mangles 38:01]. He’d go around in the summertime, sweatin’, and he’d have the sweat runnin’ off a him sellin’ ice cream bars up and down that line as fast as he could go. I don’t see [laughter], I don’t know how they ever didn’t thaw out on him, but I betcha by the time he got to the end, he got, they were awful soft. Oh yeah. And they had, uh, I don’t remember his name, but a guy that worked upstairs in the wiring area brought in burritos just about every morning. I believe his wife made’m during the night and he’d bring’m in with him. It was a dollar a burrito, and they had potatoes and ham and eggs and, uh, buck apiece. Best breakfast you could ask for, that and a tube a hot sauce. That was great. Marilyn Coulter: [38:49] Were there any other types of crafts or anything like that that you ever purchased or? Russel Dahlstrom: No, not right off hand. Marilyn Coulter: [38:58] Um, just digressing a little bit – and actually, I know you came in from the military, and then you came into the Plant, um, and you said that you were a structural in-, mechanic? How did what you learned in the military affect what you did in the Plant and was there any similarities between working in the Plant and bein’ in the military? [sniffing] Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, there’s a lotta similarities. Uh, the tools we used. Uh, we had the same thing in the military as what they had here at Fisher Body. Um, it was just like clockin’ in; you were on their time, uh, 8 hours. Um, I was, uh, in the Service, I was a Collateral Duty Inspector, which is same thing as you buy stuff off there when you’re workin’ on the helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, the same thing as when you buy stuff off here in, uh, in the Shop as a Repairman. Um, it was so similar I couldn’t, I couldn’t believe it, ‘cause they had, there were a few people in there, you’d hear’m grumblin’, bitchin’ about how stuff was done. They’d say, “Don’t you have a problem with that?” “Heck no, I just come outta the military. This is the same thing. I been doin’ this for the last 4 years,” ya know? And it was, it was very easy for me. [sniffing] Marilyn Coulter: [40:14] Have you always – what shift did you work on? Russel Dahlstrom: Second shift. Marilyn Coulter: [40:17] And did you always prefer that? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: Was that your preferred shift? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. In the new plant they’re gonna be firing up, I got third shift, so. [car engine] Doug Rademacher: [40:27] So you’re – Doug Rademacher – you’re moving off to the new plant. Uh, talk about the final days at Fisher Body and what’s your thoughts about the closing of the Fisher Body Plant? [clicking] Russel Dahlstrom: [papers rustling] I hate to see it closed. Um, had a lotta good memories there. [background conversation] But the people, for the last [car engine] 2 years probably, with the contract supervisors, um, short on help, uh, not caring about quality, “Just get these jobs built and get’m up the end a the line,” um, there was a lotta mad people, upset, totally mad. Uh, no backing from the union, management doin’ whatever the hell they wanted to do. Um, [car engine] didn’t bother me too much [inaudible 41:19] just “Hey, shut the doors, fine. That’s all you want, that’s all you got. We’re outta here.” Doug Rademacher: Doug Rademacher. [41:27] I worked those final 2 years you’re speaking of. Uh, I just wanted to share that we, [sniffing] due to the seniority, our seniority, um, they took high seniority were the only ones left in the Plant, and those people had progressed from the low-end jobs to what were considered, uh, quality preferred jobs. Uh, as time progressed, though, and we started to close the doors and eliminate lines and shifts, people got stuck on jobs that were completely out of their, their whole, uh, [sniffing] [throat clearing] realm. [throat clearing] So that caused a lotta conflict. Did you have that in your area? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, we had, we had, uh, [tapping] [car engine] Team Coordinators, at least half of’m were on the line every day, and yet they expected the one or two that weren’t on the line to do all the repairs and everything, uh, which is not the way the contract is set up, but, uh, nobody seemed to care. Like I said, [car engine] they just get ‘er done. Uh, anybody that wasn’t on a particular job [tapping] on that line was more or less classified as Utility and you’ll go wherever, wherever we sent ya, so. Yeah, there’s quite a lotta people I know of that got put in the street for disobeying direct orders, and they said they didn’t care anymore. But I can see their point. Doug Rademacher: Marilyn... Marilyn Coulter: [42:55] Um... Doug Rademacher: ...Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: ...and it’s, it’s away from what you were speaking about and it’s kinda back to – I know you said at lunchtime you might a went to Harry’s, you went from sittin’ on your job goin’ to Harry – if somebody was to come into the Plant, and some people would be at Harry’s and maybe some people would be at McDonald’s, what were some a the other things a person coming through the Plant might during, uh, a break or a lunchtime might see people doin’ in the Plant? Russel Dahlstrom: [How do you mean 43:23]? Marilyn Coulter: Were there people playin’ cards? [car engine] Russel Dahlstrom: Oh. Marilyn Coulter: Doin’ crafts? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: What type... Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...what are some a the kinds a things that they saw? Russel Dahlstrom: There were card games, dice games, uh, uh, [car engine] football pools, [car engine] uh, basketball pools, um, um, lotta card games. Marilyn Coulter: [43:44] Did you find people doing crafts at all? Knitting? Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah, a few here... Marilyn Coulter: Stuff like that? Russel Dahlstrom: ...and a few there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Russel Dahlstrom: Few here and a few there. Uh, I stuck around over where the cards games and stuff were. I wasn’t watchin’ [laughter] the rest of it. Marilyn Coulter: [43:57] So – now, there, there was said tell the, that some people even had bible study groups in there. Is that true? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Yes. I didn’t see too many of’m early when I was working there, but towards the end here, yes. Yes, there was quite a few of’m, actually... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Russel Dahlstrom: ...in the break rooms. Marilyn Coulter: So there were a lotta things goin’ on inside... Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...the Plant. Russel Dahlstrom: It’s like its own little city. Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: It’s a little city inside. Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Mm-hm. [car engine] Doug Rademacher: Doug Rademacher. [44:20] Russ, ya hired in in the ’70s. Here we are in 2006. Can ya walk me through the decades? What it was like when you came in and did ya see changes every 10 years? [background conversation] Russel Dahlstrom: At least every 10 years. Um, we hired in, [clicking] like I said before, when, when I hired in and [background conversation] there was something wrong, a supervisor came to the person and asked them what their problem was because that supervisor knew every job in there. He knew what had to be done. When there was a problem, he knew where it was comin’ from and he knew how to take care of it, and the line – person on the line, um, didn’t take’m long to recognize that, that if that boss come, come to you with a problem that you were screwin’ up, he knew he had you and you knew you were doin’ wrong. [sniffing] Uh, not too long after that, we got into the QWL, Quality of Work Life, [background noises] and there was a few changes here and a few changes there, and we gotta work a little more together and a little more here and do this a little better and not quite, [door opening] ya know, quit your hollerin’ and stuff and let’s work. [background conversation] I got to the GM 20 Pilot. They started [door opening] listening more to the hourly and, uh, [background movement] everybody workin’ hand-in-hand with the [background movement] hourly and management [background movement] and, uh, Engineers and – [background movement] so that changed some. [background noises] Uh, GM X130 it changed again. Um, but towards the end here, it’s kinda like management is taking over and the union is slacking off. Uh, we don’t, we don’t hear much anymore [coughing] about what’s going on. Um, it’s just kinda different. Back when I hired in, if you called a Committeeman, that supervisor pretty much put his head down and walked the other direction, ‘cause he knew if he was wrong, the same thing as when he came to you. If you knew you were wrong, you’d put your head down ‘cause you knew you’d been caught, and he knew the same thing, ya know. And it isn’t like that so much anymore. Management more or less does what the heck they want to now. Which I’m sure it’ll take a little while, but it’ll change when we’re in the new plant too, so. But there’s been a lotta changes. [clicking] Doug Rademacher: [46:57] Did you ever utilize the Skilled Trades group? How did you work as an assembly line worker with the Skilled s-, Trades? Uh, can you talk about that relationship? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, we worked with the Skilled Trades, uh, anytime we had, uh, [background conversation] um, reduction in, uh, line speed, changing jobs around, moving racks, um, putting in ramps. They weren’t the fastest group in the world. [background conversation] But they were generally pretty good to work with, as long as you didn’t touch any a their work. [car engine] We’d get along pretty good. [background conversation] Doug Rademacher: [47:48] Would you talk about just the changing of the names of the [papers rustling] building in which we worked? There came a time when, uh, they started changing the names of the company [papers rustling] that we worked for. What is the building to you? Russel Dahlstrom: Well, that building’ll be Fisher Body. [car engine] That’s what it was when I hired in, that’s what it’ll be until they tear it down. There was about a 10-year stretch in there I wasn’t sure what they called it, but I didn’t worry about it. As long as my check came, hey, I just walked [tapping] in the front door just like everybody else. [background noises] I don’t understand what all the different name were, BOC, LCA, uh, [door opening] like I said, [background movement] long as I got my paycheck, they could call it anything they want. [background movement] Doug Rademacher: Marilyn Coulter. Marilyn Coulter: [48:36] Um, [door opening] Russ, you said you’re originally from Wisconsin and it, you came here because of your father-in-law who was a Superintendent in the Body Shop. Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: Um, [door opening] had you ever heard anything about Fisher Body, Lansing before you came in or did you ever know anything about Bodies by Fisher? Russel Dahlstrom: I had, I had seen the name plate on the silt plate in different [inaudible 49:01]. Other than that, I didn’t know a thing about it. And they had the coach on the silt plates and. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [49:01] Did you have any preconceived notions of what a factory worker was? Russel Dahlstrom: No. Marilyn Coulter: [49:15] Or what – what would you say is probably the biggest misconception about what people believe is of factory workers? Russel Dahlstrom: They think it’s a piece a cake. You walk in that building, you don’t do a heck of a lot, you’re in outta the weather. [car engine] Um, you just went and sit down or do a job or be part of a job, they have no idea what goes on in that building. Marilyn Coulter: [49:40] During your time working there, did you get a chance to meet many people in there who extended their education [car engine] as far as you who utilized the, the tuition assistance programs and went on and got further education? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, I haven’t, I didn’t do any of that, yeah, but there was a lotta people that did. Uh, [Deb Harms 49:58] right now is in school again, soon as last, uh, layoff here. There’s a lotta people in school. Lotta people takin’ advantage of it. Marilyn Coulter: So ac-... Russel Dahlstrom: Smart move. Marilyn Coulter: ...so actually the education level is a lot higher than what a lotta people had... Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yes. Marilyn Coulter: ...perceived? Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: Um. Russel Dahlstrom: There’s a lotta school teachers in there, um, lotta people with engineering, uh, skills, ya know, [papers rustling] that can’t find jobs out in town. Marilyn Coulter: So they come into [Fisher 50:24]. Russel Dahlstrom: You got it. Marilyn Coulter: [papers rustling] Mm. Doug Rademacher: Doug Rademacher. [50:30] Russ, what’s your most appreciated bargained benefit that you’ve come to appreciate? Russel Dahlstrom: Vacation time. Is that one of’m? Doug Rademacher: That’s a wonderful thing. [laughter] Yeah, I don’t think they were handin’ out vacations. I think they, uh, [laughter] that union did go in and bargain for those, uh... Russel Dahlstrom: You got it. Doug Rademacher: ...particular, uh, days off. Russel Dahlstrom: Yes. That is the best one. That and healthcare. Marilyn Coulter: [51:03] Russ, is there anything that we talked – that you wanted to talk about that we haven’t talked about? Russel Dahlstrom: Not really. This is kinda like [papers rustling] the first day comin’ in the Shop. I didn’t know what you were gonna ask. [laughter] Doug Rademacher: Okay. [throat clearing] Russel Dahlstrom: I know there’s been a lotta good, good supervisors, good people. Um, it’s been good. Doug Rademacher: Russ, I’m gonna ask one more question. Doug Rademacher. [car engine] [51:38] You’re almost done and able to hopefully have the s-, pension that you’ve worked all these years for. For someone that’s listening or reading about the auto industry in the 2000s, what was it, what is it like to work in an auto factory? What would you tell someone that’s considering hiring into a, an assembly plant? Do ya have any words of advice for people about havin’ a go at it? Russel Dahlstrom: Pay attention. Um, they have their – well, like we have our lunchtime meetings, our group meetings, uh, supervisor meetings. Go to all of’m [car engine] and listen, listen to what’s goin’ on. Uh, they’re, i-, if you don’t mind just standing there on the line doin’ a job, fine, don’t worry about it, but there are good jobs in there, real good jobs. When you pay attention, you’ll find’m, you’ll get a chance at those good jobs. So, ya know, keep listenin’, keep your eyes open. Don’t go in there like, like you’re sleepin’. Heck, I was, uh, I worked on the line, actually a line worker, for maybe 2 years out of 28 years. Ya know? That’s unheard of. And I enjoyed it. Doug Rademacher: Well, with that smile I’m lookin’ at, yeah, you musta enjoyed it and you’re... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Doug Rademacher: ...you’re hopin’ to, uh, finish up. Russel Dahlstrom: Get my time in and get outta here. Doug Rademacher: [53:24] So you have been to the new facility yet? Russel Dahlstrom: Oh yes, that’s where I’m at right now. Doug Rademacher: [53:27] And what do ya think about that? What do ya think about our future? Russel Dahlstrom: Uh, with the money they’ve got invested, I hope they have the people that know what’s goin’ on to run it, ‘cause if they run it like past practice, they might as well just shut the doors now, but if they’re willin’ to do what’s, what it’s gonna take to get it done, hey, listen to the people, ya know? Because if ya don’t, hey, ya know, [tapping] big waste a money. Doug Rademacher: [53:54] On that subject right there, Lansing’s been known as the Capitol of Quality. People have ordered cars from all over the world from Lansing because it was called just that. Russel Dahlstrom: Mm-hm. Doug Rademacher: What’s the reason for the title “Capitol of Quality”? Russel Dahlstrom: Because the people pay attention to what they do. People like you, like quality here. That’s been preached since the day I walked in the door [coughing] and up until, oh, last couple years, we’ve always had good quality, but now it seems like it’s that almighty dollar. Ya know, to heck with the quality. I’m kinda wondering if that’s what we just didn’t give up our dollar-some-cents a raise, is that so that we don’t have to put the quality into it anymore; we just go in there just to do the job. Ya know, you don’t do the extra 5 or 10 seconds on every job, ya know. Makes ya wonder. Doug Rademacher: Well, Russ, uh, glad to have had this opportunity to interview you. It’s, uh, been a pleasure. I’m glad you found ya, the love a your life and was able to work in front of her and... Russel Dahlstrom: Yeah. Doug Rademacher: ...you guys ride to work every day and, and, uh, hopefully you enjoy the final, the final years in your retirement together. It’s been a pleasure interviewing you. Russel Dahlstrom: Same here. Get ‘er done. Cheryl McQuaid: Thank you, Russ. Russel Dahlstrom: Yup. Marilyn Coulter: Thank you, Russ. Russel Dahlstrom: You’re welcome. Jerri Smith: Thank you. Russel Dahlstrom: Thank you. [recorder clicking] /rt