Rosalind Wright, an African American, discusses her career as a production worker and UAW member at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI Marilyn Coulter: [recorder clicking] This is Marilyn Coulter, Fisher Body Historical Team Interviewer with, uh, Rosalind Wright. Um, it’s – what time is it? Linda Johnson: 8:45. Marilyn Coulter: It’s 8:45. Uh, Rosalind, could? Doreen Howard: The date? Marilyn Coulter: I did. Doreen Howard: Sorry. Marilyn Coulter: August 25th. Doreen Howard: I’m sorry. [clicking] I didn’t hear you. Marilyn Coulter: Anyways. Doreen Howard: Do you want me to? Marilyn Coulter: [0:25] Rosalind, can you, um, [clicking] please spell your name for us? [clicking] Rosalind Wright: R-O-S-A-L-I-N-D, Wright, W-R-I [clicking] G-H-T. Marilyn Coulter: Thank you. [clicking] [0:37] And Rosalind, um, when did you hire in? [clicking] Rosalind Wright: Initially [clicking] in 1979, then I worked 87 days and I got laid off. Then I came back in [background movement] in March of – March 27th, 1981. Marilyn Coulter: [0:53] Can you tell us what it was like when you first hired in? Rosalind Wright: Interesting. I remember first walkin’ in here thinkin’ everybody – I didn’t know if I wanted to work here, um, ‘cause everybody had glasses on and I said, “This place must ruin everybody’s eyes,” but, um, [laughter] I did, that’s what I thought. Marilyn Coulter: Yeah. Rosalind Wright: And I’d never seen, I’d never been inside a plant before and never have ever worked on anything that was moving, so I thought that was, that was pretty different. Marilyn Coulter: So, um, you said you had never worked anyplace [tapping] else like that before. Rosalind Wright: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Uh, what’s your, um, other work history before coming here? Rosalind Wright: I’ve worked with, um, community service things, um, worked with, uh, people, with the Youth Eastside Neighborhood Organization; I worked there as, uh, you’re workin’ with the youth over on that side a town, but then I’ve – my background is health, so I’ve worked in hospitals when I was in my teens and then I went to school to get a nursing degree but then I didn’t complete it due to [tapping] some circumstances that I, that I was involved in. Then I worked at, um, Model Cities Health Services, Model Cities Dental, uh, Urban League, um, as the Assistant Associate Health Director there, and then here. Marilyn Coulter: Then here. So it was a big culture shock coming in here. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [2:13] Um, [background conversation] [clicking] what is – and I should say before, what’s your current position now? Rosalind Wright: I’m the, uh, UAW [EDAPT 2:21] Coordinator. Marilyn Coulter: [2:23] And that is what? Rosalind Wright: Uh, it – [papers rustling] I work with an – well, EDAPT stands for Enabling Disabled People in Transition, so I deal with people that come in with restrictions or have restrictions and trying to find work for them to do within their restrictions. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [2:37] And how long you been doin’ that? Rosalind Wright: It’s been probably almost 7 years. Marilyn Coulter: 7 years? [2:41] And how did you s-, get, get that [inaudible 2:44]? Rosalind Wright: I applied for there was a opening where, uh, one a the people, well, two a the people that were doing the job before had retired, uh, was retiring and they needed to fill that spot, so I expressed my interest in that. Matter a fact, [Beth 2:58] is the one that told me about the position and, [rattling] and I applied. Beth [Inaudible 3:02]. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 3:03]. [3:04] And now so take us through the walk that you had when you came here, like what d-, what, what happened when you first came through the door to how you are now? What steps kinda took place here? Where did you work? What Department did you work in? Things like that. Rosalind Wright: When I first hired in, I came in and I worked in Trim; that was in ’79, and I remember workin’, comin’ in, and they put me in a department puttin’ on the, um, the door wires for the electric locks and the windows, power windows, and you had to build the wires yourself based on the – what do you call it? The, um... Marilyn Coulter: Option? Rosalind Wright: ...option that, that they, that the car called for, and I remember doin’ that job, and me and my girlfriend, uh, [Deborah Hansen 3:46] hired in at the same day in the same department, and I thought of – and you know, I remember workin’ on that job and tryin’ to stay up the Line, ‘cause like I said, I never worked on anything that was movin’ before, and I remember goin’ home that night dreaming about goin’ down the Line and everybody was yellin’ and screamin’ at me and cussin’, I remember it was just awful. [laughter] You know, I c-, I, so I could think about the next day that I came in, from dreamin’ that, I knew exactly what to do the next day, and so I didn’t have that trouble the next day. Marilyn Coulter: That’s great. Rosalind Wright: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [4:17] So how long did you work in Trim? Rosalind Wright: Um, [tapping] probably about 2 months, and then they put me in, um, another depart-, they put me in the Cushion Room. Marilyn Coulter: [4:30] And what’s the Cushion Room? Rosalind Wright: That’s where they actually put the fabric and the cushions on the, on the seat a the car. And I worked over there, and I remember they gave me the, that hog ring gun. I don’t know if any of you are familiar with that. Did you ever work there? Marilyn Coulter: I did that but I didn’t do hog rings. [4:47] But you wanna tell for those people who don’t know what a hog ring is? Rosalind Wright: It’s like, um, a huge metal staple that, you know, actually turns into a ring and it connects the, um, the fabric of the seat to the frame of the seat for the cars, and I remember usin’ those things, and I remember how much strength it had to take just to be able to do that and how dangerous it was if you really wasn’t, uh, familiar with how to use that. And I remember not being able to have the strength to, ya know, actually connect that, so then they put me on bolting down the bottoms of the, the bolts on the bottom of the seat, and, uh, they had that great big, um, [tsk] right angle motor. Doreen Howard: [Inaudible 4:47]. Rosalind Wright: And I remember, oh my god, and then, and, and you had to have a lotta strength to do that too, and I didn’t have the strength to do that too, ‘cause I think when I ca-, hired in, I only weighed 98 pounds, and so that was – and you know, and I’m st-, I’m pretty strong, even, even then I was, but it was, I remember it was really hard to do that, and then, uh, they took me off a that job because I was coverin’ somebody that was on sick leave, and they had me doin’, uh, sweepin’ the floors after that. And so I remember sweepin’ the floors in that area, and it was just before Thanksgiving, and I did that for like a couple a weeks, and I remember people tellin’ me that was the first time the area had been cleaned [laughter] in a long, long time, and then about 2 days – no, it was, it was the day before Thanksgiving, they laid me off. Marilyn Coulter: [6:17] And then you stayed out then until [inaudible 6:18]? Rosalind Wright: Until ’81. Marilyn Coulter: And so. Rosalind Wright: And then, then I reapplied, and I remember when, when I applied the next time, um, it was so cold outside, and I was workin’ at [Gina Cole’s 6:30] then, and it was so cold, and that’s when they had the, the lines that were backed up from, you had to come in on the, on the south lot and the line was back from – you know how th-, you go up the stairs there? The line was from there all the way up the stairs, all the way out the door, into the parkin’ lot, and it was so cold out that ya had to take turns sittin’ in the car to warm up just to stand in line to be able to get your application in. And I remember t-, uh, Channel 6, uh, I think it was TV-6 [tapping] News or 10, they were out there because all the people that were tryin’ to, [sniffing] tryin’ to get in because they were hiring almost a whole new shift of people. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [chair squeaking] Rosalind Wright: And. Marilyn Coulter: That’s [inaudible 7:10]. [chair squeaking] [background conversation] Rosalind Wright: [Inaudible 7:10]. Marilyn Coulter: [background conversation] [7:11] So how – do you remember how long you stayed out, [background conversation] outside? Rosalind Wright: Oh yeah, it was probably about 3 and a half hours. Marilyn Coulter: 3 and a half hours... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...[to get inside 7:16]. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [7:17] And then you came and then when you hired in in ’81 you ended in what department? Rosalind Wright: Trim again. Marilyn Coulter: Trim again? Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Mm-hm. I went, I remember goin’ into Trim, and I worked in, um, [tsk] they had me putting on the, the clamps for the, uh, windshield support clamps, and I remember they had broken up the – I ended up gettin’ that job, the, the people that they had on the jobs before that were, were... Doreen Howard: Mm. Rosalind Wright: ...men. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Rosalind Wright: Because it was the windshield support, there was 3 motors on that job; it was a windshield support, ya had to put that little clip there; then I had to go to the back a the car and I had to put in the, uh, automatic trunk locks... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: ...on the station wagon and, um, on the Cutlass, and then had another motor that I had to, uh, screw down the, uh, some little clamp down there for the light and then put the bulbs in and tapes, and I remember I used to go to the bathroom on my breaks just to cry ‘cause it used to hurt me so bad. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Now, I know it was hard – I know you said it’s because the job was done by men. [sniffing] In ’79 and ’81. Rosalind Wright: Well they had combined – that, that job that I had, they had cut back on people then and they had combined that job. It was 3 jobs at one time. They combined all those 3 jobs into 1 and I ended up on it ‘cause I was low seniority. Marilyn Coulter: Ah. [8:36] So you had to – but, but now, at that time when you came in, were there many women in the Plant? Rosalind Wright: Y-, well. Marilyn Coulter: In your department that you were working in? Rosalind Wright: Yeah, I was, because, um, the people that were hired, a lotta people hired in the same day I did – the twenty-, the 27th of March, well that whole month of March, the all the end a March, a lotta people hired in that time and then I think there was probably more women that hired in on that day... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: ...then, then probably on other days. Marilyn Coulter: Really? Rosalind Wright: So there was a few women in there in that department. Marilyn Coulter: [9:07] So it was a little bit different from when you were here in ’79? Rosalind Wright: Yes. Yeah, it was. There wasn’t, there wasn’t nearly as many women. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 9:16]. So. Rosalind Wright: And there still wasn’t a lot then, but it was more then – uh, in that department, there was quite a few. Marilyn Coulter: [9:21] So now did you always work in Trim Department? Rosalind Wright: No. Marilyn Coulter: No? Rosalind Wright: No, I worked in Trim, um, probably for the, for the most part, and then they had the layoff. No. I got, I, after I worked in – I worked in Trim. I went from C Trim to M Trim, and then back to C Trim, and then I got pregnant and I was havin’ real problems with, bad problems with my pregnancy, and when I came back, I went to Paint. Marilyn Coulter: Ah. So, now, uh, go back a bit. [9:55] So, when you came in, were there any kind of new-hire initiations or anything that you went through? Rosalind Wright: No. Marilyn Coulter: No? You just came in, did your job? Rosalind Wright: No. They came in, they told me what I had to do, I had 3 days to learn the job, and that was it. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. [10:07] So, um, would you say that there was a big difference between Trim and Paint and which department did you like better and why? Rosalind Wright: Actually, I liked, um, Paint better. The w-, the, the work was a lot lighter. It was quiet where I worked at. Um, Trim was, um, I think was more physical. Trim was more physical, which wasn’t, wasn’t a bad thing, but it seems as though with me bein’ low seniority, I always ended up on the worst jobs. Marilyn Coulter: [10:44] So you felt that Trim was harder on your body. Rosalind Wright: At that time, yeah, I do. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Rosalind Wright: But then, after I came from, I went at, I went to Paint and I worked there for a long time, and then, uh, then I got, I went back t-, because of problems in Paint with, uh, my health, I went back to Trim, and when I went back to Trim, um, I ended up in, uh, in a better area... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: ...than I had been before. Although, ya know, I was real physical then anyway, ya know, as far as athletic, so I was in pretty good shape, so even though the work was difficult, it was okay for me because I was, I was in pretty good shape. Doreen Howard: Okay. Rosalind Wright: And then not quite as heavy as I am now. Nowhere near as heavy as I am now. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: So now I said that you, I know you said you had to take a break because you were pregnant. [11:31] Um, how many children do you have? Rosalind Wright: Two. Marilyn Coulter: Two? [11:34] Was it difficult working here and being a mother? Rosalind Wright: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: [11:37] And what shift did you work on? Rosalind Wright: Initially they had me on night shift. I absolutely hated it. I hate workin’ nights. Uh, when I first hired in, I didn’t have any children here so, uh, nights, nights wasn’t a problem, even though I didn’t like workin’ nights. To me, still workin’ nights is unnatural. Ya know, it’s just, just is. But, um, I didn’t have problems workin’ – then I think I worked on nights maybe 2, maybe 3 years, and then I went on days, and I would’ve been, I was one a the fortunate ones; most a my career here was on day shift. How that happened, I don’t know. [background conversation] But, um, workin’ here with children, it wasn’t any more difficult than workin’ anywhere else with children. Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Rosalind Wright: I was kinda had, glad I did because the benefits that I had to be able to take care of’m. Marilyn Coulter: Ah. So that’s one a the things the union had that. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Absolutely. Benefits and the vacation time. I never used any vacation time [papers rustling] because we always had the [papers rustling] changeover, you had the long breaks at Christmastime, [papers rustling] ya know, with the holidays, those are the days that you normally use up vacation time for anyway, so I never took vacation till about 4 years ago. Marilyn Coulter: Never? Rosalind Wright: Uh-uh. Marilyn Coulter: [12:43] Now, I know they talk about breaks. What were breaks like for you? Because I know they had the wagon. Rosalind Wright: Yeah, they did. They did. Marilyn Coulter: [12:50] So it was a lot – what was the wagon time like for you? Rosalind Wright: You know, um, I think our department, when I, when they took the wagon away, I was workin’ in Paint, and I think that was the last area that had the wagon. So you had the breaks and th-, you had the few minute breaks here. I mean, there was more time to be able to, to, um, there’s more recovery time on the jobs that ya had, so even though you were workin’ hard in a lotta instances, you had break times in between then to kinda rest up, then you had that wagon that came around that was close to you so you didn’t have to go for to, to get a snack or whatever you wanted to drink. Uh, it was a shame they took the wagon away. Marilyn Coulter: [13:35] Can you explain to the people who may not know what a wagon is? Rosalind Wright: The wagon is where, um, there’s a person that comes from the cafeteria into your work area and they have, um, a cart or wagon for – that’s what they called it, and [tapping] on there, they had cookies and potato chips and juices and pop and, uh, candy and those kinda things that you could buy off of them and ya had like 5 or 6 minutes – it was, I think it was 6 or 7 minutes. Marilyn Coulter: 6 minutes. Rosalind Wright: 6 or 7-minute break where you could, uh, go to the wagon and buy somethin’ that you wanted to eat or somethin’ to just to kinda give you a little bit [rattling] more energy to keep on goin’, so [rattling] that was, that was nice. I used to enjoy it. They had that orange drink on there, I used to absolutely love it ‘cause it was so cold. You remember that one? Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Yeah, I d-, I do. Rosalind Wright: That was good. Marilyn Coulter: [14:24] So, um, you were in the – you worked on the line and now you’re an adept person... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...and so was it the union that got you that job? Was that a union job? Rosalind Wright: It’s a union position, yes. Marilyn Coulter: [14:36] And it’s considered a non-, what’s c-, known as a nontraditional job [inaudible 14:40]? Rosalind Wright: It is a nontraditional job and it is an international appointment. Marilyn Coulter: [14:44] And so there was a selection process. Rosalind Wright: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: [14:46] So by that being [tapping] a union job, were you involved in the union for a long time and how did that happen for you? Rosalind Wright: Um, see, in ’81, when I got hired, I, I m-, went up to Paint in ’84, it’s ’84 or ’85, and I got up there and, um, I was working in 17-2. Never had even been in the Paint Department before, but in p-, in, um, there was, when they used to polish the car with, uh, a solution in the wheel, they used to polish the car, and my partner was – well first they had me on Utility, and I didn’t know anything about the jobs there; they just had me – whatever they told me to do, I did, and, um, then I end up gettin’ a job in that Department, and [Joe Wills 15:33] was my partner, and every time he would, um, it was funny, ‘cause every time, you know h-, you all, do you all know Joe? Doreen Howard: [Inaudible 15:42]. Rosalind Wright: He was so 100% union, all – and he slept and breathed and sweated union, and every time you would, uh, you’d hear him talk, all you’d hear was the national anthem in the background, ya know, you’d hear that, hear that playin’ back-, ‘cause he was so pro-union, and he’d, um, him and, um, um, another guy talked me into becoming the EPG Facilitator, ‘cause I, I don’t know who the one was before, they were gone maybe and they needed [coughing] another one. Employee Participation Group, for EPG. And that k-, but it was kinda liaison between management and union to kinda get the people in the areas involved, and they talked me into, uh, um, runnin’ for EPG leader in my, in my, in my group, and so I did and I got it. And, um, then between him and [Veronica Johnson 16:42], uh, Joe and, Joe and Veronica, they used to talk to me about, uh, gettin’ involved in the union and things like that, and I think the first thing that I did was worked on, um, uh, [Lane Brewer’s 16:54] campaign, and, um, went out there and did – uh, I had never done, ya know, political stuff like that before; lit drops and all that kinda stuff, and, and, um, I started doin’ that, and, uh, that’s how I got involved was workin’ on those campaigns, and then the EPG Leader, and then I went from EPG Leader to EPA, which is the EPG Advisor for the, all the EPG Leaders in the Paint Department, and I did that for about 4 and a half years. And. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 17:26]. Rosalind Wright: Hm? Marilyn Coulter: Take a break [for a second 17:28]? Rosalind Wright: Sure. [recorder clicking] Marilyn Coulter: [17:33] So after bein’ the advisor for 4 years, what did you do? Rosalind Wright: Well, what happened then, uh, was they D-rated the Line. I was on dayshift and they D-, and they D-rated the Line, and to be able to hold the position, I had to be able to stay on the shift that I was elected on... Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Rosalind Wright: ...and I... Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 17:51]. Rosalind Wright: ...wasn’t. Marilyn Coulter: Now you said D-rated. What is? Rosalind Wright: They cut back on the speed a the Line, and when they cut back on the speed a the line, it caused them to get rid of X amount of people. And, um, so you had to be able to – or when they get rid of the people, they had to end up goin’ to the shift that, the opposite shift where they had lower seniority. So my seniority wouldn’t hold the shift that I was elected on, [tapping] so then I lost my EP-, EPA position and I went back to the Line. Marilyn Coulter: [18:21] Now, when you said – ‘cause by you bein’ an EPG Leader and Advisor, what were some a the big impacts of that program, would you say, on the Plant? Rosalind Wright: One a the things that they had was, uh, that I, that’s, that comes to mind is, uh, Paint Discovery. Do you, do you remember that? Were you up there then? Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 18:41]. Rosalind Wright: And what they had was, um, they would work with the groups. That’s when they really started s-, started the group, uh, concept as far as working with, uh, the individual groups in the area and tryin’ to find out what it is that would make the Department flow, the, the jobs flow, and one a the things we did was we went to other GM plants to find out how their Paint, uh, Department was set up and the problems that they had and the things that they did to correct’m and brought all the information back here, uh, to our plant and implemented it here. Marilyn Coulter: [19:14] So they allowed employees, not just engineers, to go to these plants? Rosalind Wright: Sometimes, yes. Marilyn Coulter: So, so they... Rosalind Wright: They did. Marilyn Coulter: ...so employees had more say? Rosalind Wright: They had more say and then they had, um, um, even in as far as how the jobs were set up, they had a little bit of say in how they could set up to make it run, the department run better, and, uh, the Paint Discovery was a part a that. One thing I remember about that Paint Discovery thing, I remember, ya know, when you were talkin’ about women in the Plant, ya know, even though there was women here, there was lotsa things they didn’t allow us to do, and I remember workin’ on a proposal in that department and actually comin’ up with, uh, the proposal for the Paint Discovery process and them thinking, and then my opposite was, uh, a man, he was on night shift, and I remember them writing the proposal, getting it implemented, and they allowed him to run with the process, but me, bein’ a female on days, felt like I needed some support on the proposal I wrote myself, and I remember them puttin’ somebody with me, a supervisor, and I was so upset about that, and, um, finally I went to a meeting and rant and raved and asked them had I, ya know, established any kinda credibility in the job that I did and they said yes, and I said, “Then why is it that you felt like I needed some assistance from a male management person when my nightshift person who is a male didn’t need the same help?” and they removed’m right after that. Marilyn Coulter: Excellent for you. But now that brings up... Rosalind Wright: Uh. Marilyn Coulter: ...another question. [20:54] What was it like for you coming in in ’79, ’81 and as an African-American female? Rosalind Wright: I was the only one. Well, there was s-, there was other African-American females that were hired in that time too. Um, but, um, you know, I didn’t, I didn’t feel, I didn’t, I didn’t, I didn’t get any, I didn’t have a lotta recourse in regards to that. That w-, that wasn’t a issue for me. Marilyn Coulter: [21:21] Just bein’ a female at that... Rosalind Wright: Just bein’ a... Marilyn Coulter: ...[one time 21:22]? Rosalind Wright: ...female was more of an issue than bein’ an African-American female... Marilyn Coulter: [21:25] Now... Rosalind Wright: ...at that time. Marilyn Coulter: ...how did you feel [tapping] that it was – was that the same in Trim as it was in Paint? Rosalind Wright: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: The experiences were primarily the same? Rosalind Wright: Yeah... Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 21:35]. Rosalind Wright: ...I do. They thought that any woman in, in this Plant, if they did anything or moved up the ladder doin’ anything that they d-, there was a r-, there was some-, there was a way that ya got there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Which wasn’t necessarily with their brains, I’d think. Rosalind Wright: No, it was not with their brains. They, they felt like she was doin’ something else to be able to get where she was going. Marilyn Coulter: [21:55] So, did you feel [tapping] – so that’s, like you almost felt like by being a woman here, you had to work harder? Rosalind Wright: Oh absolutely. Absolutely. Not necessarily on the Line – well, ya had to too, there too, because they felt like – there were, I remember j-, bein’ put on jobs, they “She’ll never be able to do that,” and I remember I would do it, even though it was almost killin’ me sometimes, just to prove a point. I would never let, ya know, like that old sayin’, never let’m see you sweat. I didn’t. Marilyn Coulter: No, and I – just because I know, because I can tell and they can’t, I know that you’re, you’re only, what, 5-foot? Rosalind Wright: 5’1”. Marilyn Coulter: She’s 5’1”, so therefore... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...you were 5’1”, and you’re little 98 pounds... Rosalind Wright: At that time. Marilyn Coulter: ...tryin’ to... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...put a car together. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: Um, so then you had to do that. [22:38] So now after you were that, um, the advisor, bein’ a woman and. Rosalind Wright: I was the only female – I think there may have been one other female prior to me, but I was the only African-American ma-, female, um, that ever had that job. Until I think, um, [tapping] there was a pers-, one, uh, after me, but I remember being the only female – when we went to Paint Discovery, I was it. There was no other females there. Marilyn Coulter: [23:03] So and that was [inaudible 23:04]? Rosalind Wright: But you know what? But, um, but the men here that were EPAs never made me feel like I was the only one. They never did. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Rosalind Wright: They never did. Marilyn Coulter: That’s great. Rosalind Wright: The only ones that made me feel like that was some of my peers that, from the past that was on the Line, but the EPAs didn’t. Marilyn Coulter: [23:22] S-, so you had a little sense of family and everything. Rosalind Wright: You did. Marilyn Coulter: So, um, gonna fast forward a little bit after that. [23:32] Um, so after you did – you went t-, back to night shift and... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...what happened [inaudible 23:36]? Rosalind Wright: Went back on the Line. I got exposed to some really bad chemicals and, um, I had severe asthma problems from that, and I was off a work for about a year, and when I came back, they, um, wanted to put me right back in the same department where I was that I was exposed to the chemicals, and, um, [tapping] it was, um, [Aura 24:00] and [Dick Falun 24:02] that said, “She doesn’t need to be around that anymore,” and they helped me to get outta that department, and that’s when I went to Trim. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. And that’s... Rosalind Wright: And when I went. Marilyn Coulter: ...[Aura Calhoun 24:02]? Rosalind Wright: Aura Calhoun and Dick Falun. They both helped me to, um – and said, “She doesn’t need to be here” and that, and, um, so then they, uh, transferred me to Trim. I went back to Trim and I worked in Trim, went to Trim down there in the, uh, I was puttin’ roof [inaudible 24:32] in, uh, in the car [tapping] and, um, then I started working doing the, um, [tsk] oh, I can’t remember what it’s called right now, but anyway, I was workin’ in another area and I was on that job probably for, after I came back from sick leave, for about 3 or 4 months, and the Ergonomics job came open. Marilyn Coulter: [24:57] And that’s what? Rosalind Wright: That’s, um, [throat clearing] working with, um, the s-, the system to actually try to, [tapping] um, find out where, what, what, what it takes to, to do a job and have recovery [tapping] time and, [tapping] um, I’m tryin’ to think what the true definition of it is. At that time, I knew what it was. [papers rustling] Matter a fact, when I applied for the job, I was the only one that knew what ergonomics meant. And, um, it’s funny ‘cause [Ron Gruball 25:27] was the EPA in Paint, and when I took that job, he went to Ergonomics. That was the first – he was the first Ergonomics Rep in this Plant; him and, uh, uh, [Sally Gruball 25:42]. They were the first two. And, um, I took that job and he went to Ergonomics, and then I went to Trim and I was on the Line, and he retired and I went to Ergonomics. So I replaced him both times. It just, [laughter] which was funny. Um, Ergonomics, it, it’s, it’s a, it’s a process that fits the person to the job instead a job to the person, ya know? It finds out the, the, teaches you about the stresses and things that cause people to have injuries and try to setup jobs so they, um, so they’re, they’re, they work without all those injuries, and Ergonomics process since then has grow immensely. [tapping] You know, it’s a big factor in this plant, and not just this one; in other plants too. Anyway, I went as a Ergonomics, uh, Monitor. So I would go out and look at jobs to see if they, uh, there was any stressors on there that could cause potential injury on people and try to, to make people, the management aware of it so they can make the changes to accommodate the people. So that’s how I ended up there. [tapping] Marilyn Coulter: And oftentimes you would come out and weight things to see if the weight... Rosalind Wright: Weigh things. Marilyn Coulter: ...was right. Rosalind Wright: Time things, their bending, um, measure their reach, um, all those things. L-, uh, use the, the motors, um, test the torque on’m, um, what it takes to shut or, ya know, push and pull. All those factors [tapping] that would put stresses on a person’s body. Marilyn Coulter: [27:12] So your Ergonomics job actually helping prepare you to do your EDAPT job, it sounds like. Rosalind Wright: One step, one, one thing led to another. When it was just one, ya know, one thing led to – my health background basically helped me to prepare for all a those things. [clicking] Marilyn Coulter: [27:27] So, um, being the fact that you worked on the Line... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. [chair squeaking] Marilyn Coulter: ...and then you worked on the, in a special job helping the people, what are some a the things that you think are special about Lansing Car Assembly that makes it different from other plants, that makes it tick? What’s, what was the glue that kept it together? What do you think? Rosalind Wright: The people. Marilyn Coulter: [chair squeaking] The people? [27:46] What was it about the people that [inaudible 27:47]? Rosalind Wright: Y-, ya know, I remember, um, the work was hard, but the people that ya worked with were, would kinda keep you together ‘cause it was like an extended family, you know. I remember workin’ on the Line and gettin’ down the Line and gettin’ in trouble or bein’ sick and couldn’t hardly do anything and the person on each side of me would help me do my job just to be able to stay at the Line so that, you know, I could continue to work. The people did. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. So where. Rosalind Wright: The people did. Marilyn Coulter: [28:12] Did you guys have dinner together? Did ya play together? Rosalind Wright: Everything. Marilyn Coulter: [28:16] What types a things did you guys do? Rosalind Wright: Everything. And you know, we’d have dinners in the areas when we weren’t supposed to. Ya know, they don’t do that anymore, but, um, they’d have potlucks and everybody’d bring a dish, ya know, certain days a the week. Um, if you had problems there, ya know, on your job, there was – I don’t know y-, they would just, it was just, um, and I g-, I can only speak for myself, I don’t know how I was. I never had a bad partner, and I know many people have, but I didn’t. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Rosalind Wright: Every department that I had, my partners were, were, were good to me. I remember, um, comin’ back from after havin’ [my son 28:52], and, um, I was nursing, and, and I was still nursing when I came back to work, and I remember c-, the first day I came back to work, I’d worked 11 hours, and usually we’d work only 8 hours, and then when they worked overtime, I always had somebody else do my overtime for me ‘cause I didn’t like the overtime, and I remember bein’ up in Paint, and [Bill Weston 29:13], uh, he was the, um – what do you call’m? Marilyn Coulter: Pickup Man? Rosalind Wright: Pickup Man. He would give me extra breaks just so I could go to the bathroom... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: ...to, to pump, ya know, so that I wouldn’t be so engorged. Things like that, ya know, ya know, those kinda things. Marilyn Coulter: [29:31] And the Pickup Man’s job is – so, for those who don’t know what a pickup man is. Rosalind Wright: It’s, um, a person that would – if ya had to use the bathroom, they would give you relief; they would do your job so that you could go to the bathroom or if you got sick and needed to go to Medical, they would cover your job and do your job until you go, went to the hospital or came back, uh, and that’s what he did, but sometime – you know, he had, they h-, lotta times, they had extra time... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Rosalind Wright: ...where people on the Line were tied to the Line and he would give me extra breaks so I could do that. Marilyn Coulter: That was [inaudible 29:56]. Rosalind Wright: I never will forget him and a couple other guys used to do that for me. And I didn’t know’m that well, you know. I had just went up there. Marilyn Coulter: S-, well. Rosalind Wright: I remember gettin’ sick. Remember when we had the IP area? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: I got sick one time out there. I was – I had hurt my back or somethin’ and I, and I was takin’ pain medication and it made me so sick, and I was so sick I could hardly do my job, and I remember, um, [Jerry Mets 30:16] was on one side a me and [tapping] I can’t remember the guy’s name was on the s-, other side a me. They doubled up and did my job until I could get myself back together again, ya know, things like that. So, yeah, it’s the people that, that made the, made it. Marilyn Coulter: That made it happen [here 30:30]. Rosalind Wright: Yeah, it did. Marilyn Coulter: Now, [throat clearing] I know that, um, we’ve had a lotta different programs here... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...and I know that, um, we’ve had programs not just for ourselves but for our children... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...and I’m, well, askin’ this ‘cause I know you had two children who I think they both went through what was called the LAMP... Rosalind Wright: The LAMP Program. Marilyn Coulter: ...Program. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [30:48] Could you [tapping] tell us a little bit about the LAMP Program and what you think of it as a hourly worker and a parent with a child who went through that program? Rosalind Wright: The LAMP Program is the, um, Lansing Area Manufacturing Partnership, and that was a partnership [tapping] between the Lansing, the Ingham-Eaton School District, the UAW, and GM, and, uh, it’s, um, it’s a s-, it’s a class, uh, it’s, it’s actually school that teaches them all aspects of manufacturing, from the first line, from being on the line to upper management, and it teaches them all aspects of the, uh, business. And, um, one a the thing that it did was it also prepared them to be able to – made, it made them job-ready, you know, to help them to become job-ready and to teach them there all the skills; um, interview skills, computer skills, it encompassed math and writing and English and all of those things in reg-, and, and all, in addition to the other things that I just mentioned and, uh, they actually got graded for that class and, um, they were, there w-, there was a afternoon and there was a morning class, and there was only select students that got selected. So even though both my kids up, kids end up bein’ there, um, they had, they were picked out of a number of – I think that sometimes there was like two or three hundred people that would have a-, kids would have applied, and when my son got selected – and they didn’t know he was my son, so it wasn’t like they were showin’ favoritism – um, he got selected into the LAMP Program, uh, and my daughter did, also, and, um, they got, um, school grades. They were there from like 7 in the morning to like 10 in the morning, and it was just, it took the place of like 3 or 4 classes, um, that they would’ve had to taken [tapping] at their home school. So they got credit for that. They also got credit, um, college credits at LCC, uh, if they were gonna go to LCC, those things too. So it helped prepare them for the, the workforce and, or to go to college, whatever it was that they wanted to go do. Marilyn Coulter: So. Rosalind Wright: But it taught’m about manufacturing. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 33:10]. So that was one thing that General Motors gave back to the community, in a sense... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...and the UAW. [33:17] And now I know that you also were a Mentor, correct? Rosalind Wright: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: [33:21] Could you tell us a little bit about... Rosalind Wright: I have been... Marilyn Coulter: ...that program? Rosalind Wright: ...for – they started the Mentor Program when they started the LAMP Program, and I’ve been a Mentor for every single year that they have been, and it just so happened that as, uh, being a Mentor, um, I was mentorin’ like maybe 5 years before my kids came, um, so they were end up, end up bein’ in there too, but, um, it, it teach-, d-, the, each child has to have a Mentor that kinda, they l-, they, uh, follow around once a month or however many times a month and it teaches them about your job, and you’re also an avenue for them to find out different things that they need to learn about in manufacturing and direct them in the right, right way to go and teach them other aspects of manufacturing, whether it be job shadowing, or whatever. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Great. [34:14] So, um, is, so that’s one way that they’ve given to the community, in our, into the Lansing area, but now, it’s not just Lansing area, right? It’s [inaudible 34:24]. Rosalind Wright: Initially it started out the Lansing area, Ingham-Eaton Intermediate School District. Now [throat clearing] it’s on the, um, now they stretch out to the outlining, uh, areas like, um, [tsk] St. John and, uh, Dewitt and, um, uh, I c-, all around the Lansing area, schools all around the Lansing area. So it’s not just Ingham Intermediate; they s-, they’ve, uh, stretched out. And since they started the program there, Detroit has also patterned their program – they g-, have a program there, and I think it’s called DVP or s-, DV s-, P, somethin’ like that, but it’s like our LAMP in that they’ve kind of, uh, [background movement] modeled their program after our LAMP Program. [recorder clicking] Marilyn Coulter: That’s great to know what they did for the community. But now I know a lotta this had union involvement to do with it. [35:17] Can you tell me some [papers rustling] things that you did about your union activity and your union involvement? Rosalind Wright: Um, I’ve worked with, uh, just about every committee that’s over there. I, um, I worked with the u-, I was on the Union Label Committee a long time ago I went, that’s back when Joe Wills was the, uh, the, uh, the person over Union Label. Marilyn Coulter: Joe was the Union Label Chairperson? Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. And I worked with, uh, [Al Ebee 35:45] and, um, in the constitution on, we worked on many, many, many campaigns until, um, until he retired. Marilyn Coulter: [35:55] That was considered the Citizenship and Legislation... Rosalind Wright: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: ...Committee? Rosalind Wright: And I also worked with the Women’s, uh – I wasn’t on the Women’s Committee, but I worked on everything they did, I worked with them on all those things. The union picnics, um, the, um, the, uh, the Black History Program. One a the first members, along with yourself, uh, for the, the Black History Program. I remember the first one we did, I remember we did that dance... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Rosalind Wright: ...the African dance, welcome dance, uh, when that, when that [tapping] Black History Program. Also, [tapping] um, the, um – see, Citizen – oh, I was on Election Committee forever, for a long, long time. Um, I was the first, I was the Secretary of the Ingham County Democratic Party and I was a Vice Chair of Ingham County Democratic Party after I became, a couple years after I did that, then I ran for the, um, Vice Chair and I was, and I got that too. So I was on the Cap Council. Marilyn Coulter: [37:01] And the Cap Council does what? Rosalind Wright: I was a Cap Delegate. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 37:03]. Rosalind Wright: That’s what it was. Um, that’s where, that’s the political, [tapping] uh, portion of the UAW, um, along with 652 and the other ones, and there was a, there’s a council and they have delegates. Uh, so I was a Cap Delegate for, for many years also. Marilyn Coulter: [37:18] And that went hand-in-hand with your Citizenship and Legislative... Rosalind Wright: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: ...Committee... Rosalind Wright: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: ...involvement, correct? Rosalind Wright: Yes, I did. Marilyn Coulter: [37:24] And so, what – and just ‘cause you [tapping] had those different things and we had Union Label this, can you tell us brie-, ya know, just maybe like a brief definition of what a Union Label Committeeperson does? Rosalind Wright: Union Label helps, um, find out things that, um, union – they try to encourage you to buy union-made products. Um, so we worked on the committee to get that information out to the workforce. Uh, so, so that people are aware of [papers crumpling] things that they can buy, things that they can do that are, um, indicative of our environment, of our union label rather than to buy foreign products. Marilyn Coulter: Perfect. [38:04] And under the Citizenship and Legislative Committee, what is that committee? What did that committee do? Rosalind Wright: Working on all the different, uh, campaigns and getting people [tapping] working on campaigns, uh, for people [tapping] that support us, uh, that support the, the, um, the factory workers or the UAW and, uh, you know, you support people that support you. So we worked on, uh, doin’ that; all the different bills and things that were being passed, um, that would affect us in one way or another, uh, more on the positive note, the things that would help us. Marilyn Coulter: So now that was, uh, Citizenship and Legisla-. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [38:43] Now, what does an Election Committeeperson do? Rosalind Wright: Anytime that there’s a person that’s running for elected position within the UAW in our own local, whether it be Vice President, President, Chairperson, Committee people, well, well they have to have an election to, to select those people, and [tapping] so it’s just like, uh, goin’ to the polls to vote for a President of the United States; you have to have somebody to be able to account for all the ballots and the votes [papers rustling] and things that come in, and so I worked on the committee doin’ that. Marilyn Coulter: [39:12] And now, the union picnic. Rosalind Wright: Um, it’s a picnic that, um, they have every August, um, for, uh, the UAW members of Local 602, and this is a way the union gives back to the membership by having this huge picnic for [chair squeaking] the membership and their families to go out there and just have a [chair squeaking] good time and to fellowship together and, um, play games and just, just have a good time. Marilyn Coulter: So it’s just one a those things that kinda make that glue... Rosalind Wright: Yeah. Fisher. Marilyn Coulter: ...[inaudible 39:42]. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [39:43] And now, the Women’s Committee. Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: What did, what types of work? Rosalind Wright: It’s a coalition of Label Union women. Um, we were, I was [inaudible 39:50], um, where the Women’s Committee, you know, a lotta times there’s, I mean, everything with it being so few of us, there’s, um – [tsk] to get women involved in the UA-, in the union, um, and in every aspect of the union, and one a the things that helps does that is a committee ‘cause women in the union do the, we work here and get paid and sweat blood, sweat, and tears just like the guys do, but there was a committee there to kinda helps, uh, bring the women together to let them know that they’re not alone in this and to help support the UAW. Marilyn Coulter: Great. [40:28] Now, um, I know you helped with the Black History Program... Rosalind Wright: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...and as a founding member, do you wanna say anything about that? Rosalind Wright: We were the first, um, Black History Program in Lansing and the surrounding areas to have a Black History Program to recognize, um, the African-American, um, that’s within our UAW, because it’s not just, uh – one a the things I learned about Black History is there’s no black history, there’s no white history; just history properly taught. And this was a way of informing our workforce about, um, about us as a people, [tapping] because, you know, you d-, when you, lack of, [tapping] ignorance and lack of knowledge is what divides us, but it’s our diversities that – ya know, when people understand things about who you are and what you’re, you’re, you’re about, uh, it, it kinda cuts down those, breaks down those walls that divide us, so. Marilyn Coulter: So. Rosalind Wright: We had a program there and they, it was, ya know, there was things that historically that we talked about. Um, the people that were before us, like people that, um, cr-, you know, that invented things; uh, doctors and, ya know, things that were the first doctors, uh, in regards to a heart transplant. All those things about our people that a lotta people don’t know, some of us don’t even know, ya know, and this was just to make people knowledgeable. Marilyn Coulter: So you were involved a lot in the union. [42:06] Now one thing I wanted to ask you wa-, now were you a Lansing resident? Rosalind Wright: I was originally born in Jackson, Michigan, uh, but I’ve lived here all my life. Marilyn Coulter: [42:16] So did, um, growing up here or being a resident here, how has the Plant affected your life as a resident of Lansing? Rosalind Wright: Ya know, it’s – um, my father worked here for a short period a time. [tapping] Um, I don’t know why he didn’t say. Yeah, I’m not real clear on why he didn’t stay, but he worked here for a while, and, uh, this is, um, it’s a jo-, it’s a, it’s a, it’s a place of employment that has employed a lotta people and given them a decent quality of living where a lotta the jobs in the community is not, ya know, and because the UAW in-, involvement in it as we could get decent wage for decent, [tapping] ya know, day’s work. Um, [clicking] and, ya know, a lotta jobs, they can just fire ya for no reason, um, don’t have the benefits that, that we have here, and, um, General Motors has been a huge icon in this community that has provided many, many people and families with, um, ya know, a good, good means of living. It has. And I mean, it’s, it’s, I, I don’t know what I’ve done with my, there’s no way I could’ve, uh, taken care a my children that I way I’ve taken care of’m if I hadn’t been employed here. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Rosalind Wright: Ya know? A decent, decent way of living. Marilyn Coulter: Decent way a living. [43:32] So as we come to a close, can you tell, tell me maybe what was one of your best memories that you had here at this Plant? Rosalind Wright: Mm. People have been good to me here. They, they have. You know, for the most part, people have been good to me, both management and hourly both. Um, just to able to just given the opportunity to – workin’ on the Line was never enough for me... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: ...and just to be able to apply for something or, or to see something, um, that would allow me to continue to grow and bein’ able to take advantage of it even though sometimes it was a struggle; matter of fact, most times it was a struggle, but still nonetheless I was able to keep on goin’... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Rosalind Wright: ...and do what I wanted to do. Um. I don’t know. Marilyn Coulter: All right. Great. Well, in this interview – thank you for your time. In this interview there was Cheryl McQuaid, Linda... Rosalind Wright: Johnson. Marilyn Coulter: ...Johnson, John Fedewa, and... Doreen Howard: Doreen Howard. Marilyn Coulter: ...Doreen Howard. Thank you for your time. Rosalind Wright: You’re welcome. /rt