Hattie Greene, an African American, discusses her 40-year career as a production worker and UAW member at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI Marilyn Coulter: [recorder clicking] Uh, Fisher Body Historical Team interview. Wednesday, November 16th, 2005. Interviewer – Lead Interviewer Marilyn Coulter. Uh, interview taking place at UAW Local 602 Conference Room. Our interviewee today will be Ms. Hattie Greene. Uh, first we will a-, the other teams members are? Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. Linda Johnson: Linda Johnson. Doreen Howard: Doreen Howard. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. [0:28] Um, Ms. Greene, [door closing] can you please state and spell your name for us, please? Hattie Greene: State and spell my name? Well, my name Hattie L. Greene. I spell it H-A-T-T-I-E, middle initial L, last name Greene, G-R-E-E-N-E. Marilyn Coulter: All right. Thank you. [0:49] Um, so, uh, what we’re gonna do is do you want to just tell us a little bit about yourself? Now, do ya – are you married with children? Hattie Greene: I am the mother of one child. I was married to a lovely man by the name of [Clifford A. Greene 1:06], but he’s deceased now; he’s no longer with me, except in my heart. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: And we were married almost 48 years. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: And I have a daughter; her name is [Alison Renee Johnson 1:22]. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and of course, at the m-, time now, she’s wheelchair bound; she has MS... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Hattie Greene: ...and she have had that about 14 years, but she’s still my baby and I love her. Marilyn Coulter: [Mm 1:45]. [1:45] Now, we’re gonna talk a little bit about hiring in at Fisher Body. Can you tell us what date you hired in? Hattie Greene: I was hired in ‘bout the date was, uh, April the 15th, 1953. Marilyn Coulter: [1:58] Now, was this your first job? Hattie Greene: No, it wasn’t my first job. I had one job before that, which was working in a grocery store where they sold grocery and one side was an ice cream side... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Hattie Greene: ...where they sold, you know, ice cream, and I was just all around in there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: So, um, 1953 ya hired in. [2:26] What brought you into Fisher Body? Hattie Greene: Definitely it was more money. [laughter] Better my [condition 2:32]. Ah ha. Marilyn Coulter: [2:34] Do you remember what you were making back then in 1953, what you hired in at? Hattie Greene: You know, that’s kinda hard to remember. It’s somethin’ like ‘bout a dollar and 45 or 49 cent. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: ‘Cause the mens did make a little more than we did. [background conversation] Marilyn Coulter: [2:48] So in 1953, you come into an automotive plant. What was that like? Could you tell us what that was like? Can you remember what it was like? Hattie Greene: Oh, uh, that... Marilyn Coulter: That first day? Hattie Greene: ...the first day, well, it was okay, but it was really scummy, dirty, you know. It was – because I worked in the Paint Department, that’s where I was hired in, and I worked on the line, and it was the Sealer Line, and we used a black rubber [dough 3:19] they called it, to seal the jobs, because the o-, some a the other ladies worked here, of color, they didn’t even wanna walk ‘cross the line, ya know. It seemed like they put all the minorities mostly over on the Sealer Line. Marilyn Coulter: And was that because it was – Linda Johnson? Linda Johnson: [3:46] Hattie, was it because people didn’t wanna cross the line because of the gummy stuff, they didn’t wanna get it on their shoes, or? Hattie Greene: Well, it could have been, and some of’m just thought they was a little bit better than... Linda Johnson: Too good to... Hattie Greene: ...yes. Linda Johnson: Ah. Hattie Greene: Yes. Linda Johnson: [4:00] So minorities were put on lesser jobs, you think, because they would do the work and... Hattie Greene: Well, all of’m didn’t do the work... Linda Johnson: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: ...because some of’m quit. [laughter] Linda Johnson: Oh. Hattie Greene: But I was one who did survive. Marilyn Coulter: Cheryl? Cheryl McQuaid: [4:17] Hattie, how was the sealer applied? I mean, was it somethin’ that you used your hands and applied it or? Hattie Greene: N-, no we didn’t use our ha-, we had a gun, but they call it a gun, it was a long [main 4:29], and you had to mash it, you know, the fa-, get the sealer out, ‘cause if you had to seal around the, seal around the, um, wheel, you know, the part of the car, not the wheel itself, but you had to go right down that line, you know, part, part the, where they were connected together, you know, and things like that, go ‘round the t-, the trunk ledge; you had to raise that up, go all around that and seal in there. We had a lotta places. And then some places it was, uh, what they call the rub-, rubber dough t-, too, you’d used – you know, it’s [perma-gum 5:06] or somethin’, you used to fit, put over those holes and then put it on. Cheryl McQuaid: Oh, okay. Marilyn Coulter: [5:12] So you primarily sealed seams and... Hattie Greene: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...plugged holes? Hattie Greene: That’s what we did. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. [5:18] So in 1953, were there very many minorities? Hattie Greene: No, to tell you the truth, uh, I was probably about the third or fourth one that was hired in [had been 5:31]. That’s when they did hire [for all of us 5:33] in here then. Marilyn Coulter: [5:36] So were you treated any differently... Hattie Greene: Well... Marilyn Coulter: ...back then? Hattie Greene: ...in some way, they tried to be nice, but you could always see it on their face, at least I could, and tell the different... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Hattie Greene: ...‘cause there’s somethin’ within me that I can always tell with somethin’, ya know. But the supervisors, they was kinda, some of’m kinda snotty and some of’m wasn’t. Marilyn Coulter: Uh, Doreen? Doreen Howard: [6:09] Um, was it a male-female discrimination or was it a minority, uh, as far as color, issue? Hattie Greene: Well, the male, the males, some of’m would, ya know, talk more, but they knew, they – I knew then where the discrimination was, because you could tell. At least I could. I was no dummy. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: Uh, no. Even to this day, I can tell. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: Nobody don’t have to tell me; I know. I have common sense, but, you know, but that’s, that’s all right. I learned to live with it, because, uh, you know, if, if someone hate me here, well, how do they expect to get to Heaven? Doreen Howard: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: You know, we supposed to love one another and color not supposed to have anything to do with it, because we are all God childrens, and my blood, even though ma skin is dark, but my blood is just as red as yours... Doreen Howard: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: ...and then some a those who thought that they were better, well, I’m sure that ma blood was just as red – it was redder than theirs, ‘cause I don’t do drugs or none a that stuff. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: So... Doreen Howard: [7:28] Um... Marilyn Coulter: ...Doreen? Doreen Howard: ...but as far as black males, was there black males in the area that you worked with and were they discriminated against in the same way that the women were discriminated against? Hattie Greene: Well, not, not totally, but they was, they had to be on their P’s and Q’s because, uh, it seemed like that we bein’ of color, we had to work just as hard and we had to do our jobs, seems like, a little bit better than they did. They would get away with somethin’, you know, where they would, you know, we g-, have to have it just right... Doreen Howard: Mm. Marilyn Coulter: [8:09] So... Hattie Greene: ...you know. Marilyn Coulter: ...at times the discipline seemed a little bit different for you? Hattie Greene: Well, yeah, I nev-, I – a course I did my job... Marilyn Coulter: You just did your job. Hattie Greene: ...I did my job. All I wanted them to do was just tell me what my job was and show me what they wanted did, and so I did my job. I never had any trouble except for fightin’. I didn’t fight. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Hattie Greene: I didn’t fight; I just, really, what I did, this guy I was workin’ with, well, I was gonna get a drink a water. So course this was sometime later, you know, and I was goin’ ‘crossed the line to get some water. When I come back, he didn’t re-, he didn’t hit me, but he put like that. Marilyn Coulter: [8:54] And that would be... Hattie Greene: He, he had... Marilyn Coulter: ...he rushed towards you? Hattie Greene: Y-, yeah. But that’s all he did, because I had picked up a gun and I bust his heel open. [laughter] I gotta a couple weeks off, but it was worth it. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [9:08] And that surely changed the [laughter] climate on how people treated you... Hattie Greene: Yeah, he... Marilyn Coulter: ...there, right? [laughter] Hattie Greene: ...he became a good friend. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [9:14] So can you tell us, um, in working in the Paint Shop, did it require any special equipment? Any special clothing or [tapping] gloves or anything like that when you worked in the Paint... Hattie Greene: Well, we... Marilyn Coulter: ...[Shop 9:24]? Hattie Greene: ...we had gloves, but far as clothes, you know, we, we all wore blue jeans or somethin’ like that, you know, um, but, uh, we didn’t wear – at least I don’t wear’m now – shorts to work and things like that. ’Course the mens, you know, they wore – in the Paint Department, they mens, they wore, you know, jeans and stuff, and they worked on the wet sand, they call it. [phone ringing] [recorder clicking] Doreen Howard: Okay. All set. Hattie Greene: Now what? Marilyn Coulter: [9:59] So now, you [sniffing] didn’t have any s-, so you, you didn’t, didn’t have to wear any special breathing products or anything like that when you were working? Hattie Greene: [coughing] Uh, no, we didn’t then. We didn’t have – I’m just tryin’ to think, I know we used to wear, we had to wear a – [late- 10:14], I don’t know think I wore’m when I first went in there, safety glasses, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [10:19] So now, you, you’re retired now, right, Ms. Hattie? Hattie Greene: Yes, ma’am. Marilyn Coulter: [10:21] And what year did you retire? Hattie Greene: 1993. Marilyn Coulter: [10:25] And in ’93, in that time period that you were in the Paint, were you always in the Paint Department for your whole life? Hattie Greene: No, I worked in the Cushion Room, um, few years, after – I believe it was a plant in, uh, what was it, Grand Rapid? They had a fire that didn’t-, or somethin’. Somethin’ went wrong there and some a the folks came to, I think over here to Fisher Body, and then, you know, folks was gettin’ bumped off their jobs and thing and that’s when a lotta those who – some a those who was walkin’ around the line when we was in the Sealer Room, you know, some of’m had to come there on the Sealer Line and work too, which it didn’t make’m very happy, but... Marilyn Coulter: [11:12] So, Ms. Hattie... Hattie Greene: ...[inaudible 11:13]. Marilyn Coulter: ...for people who will hear this and know th-, can you please explain what bumping is? Hattie Greene: Well, might a been what we, what we call bumpin’ was, uh, if you was on a job and you get bumped off, so somebody come on that job that [just, um 11:29], have more seniority than you do, well that’s what we call bumpin’, you know, and then you would have a chance, if it was somebody there that you could go bump them, but it didn’t work that way all the time because supervisor, they was screwy too, because I know, I was laid off for a couple years and I had the seniority to be in there, but they kept guys in there, you know, with less seniority than, uh, you know, than we had. Marilyn Coulter: [12:02] So now, were you – you, you just spoke about layoffs. Were you laid off very many times during your time there? Hattie Greene: Yeah, I was laid off, um, I don’t know how many times [background conversation], but it was quite a few times that I was laid off and it so happened that, uh, you know, if you’re laid off, if you were laid off longer than you’d worked there, well, you know, if they call ya back, you was startin’ out new, but it so happened that I was never laid off as long as I had worked there, so therefore my seniority was there, you know. Marilyn Coulter: [12:33] So you said – now, you said you spen-, you were laid off by you primarily spent your time in the Paint Department. Now, do you remember how long you were in the Cushion Room? Hattie Greene: Oh, gee. I was in there, hm, I don’t know, 3 or 4 years, I guess. Marilyn Coulter: 3 or 4 years? Hattie Greene: I guess it was somethin’ like that. Marilyn Coulter: [12:52] And the Cushion Room... Hattie Greene: But yeah, that was a different, different angle. We made the, uh, they, uh, made the seats, you know, and we, we used to put the springs in’m, you know, [thumping] and also we put the, uh, cov-, the s-, the leather over’m, you know? Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: Put the r-, put the [thumping] springs in’m, then we had a pad we had the [hog ring 13:19] down on it, then after that, as you’d put, uh, the leather on it and they’d fastened that up and send that on [thumping] down the line somewhere to the next place. Marilyn Coulter: [13:29] S-, [laughter] so what’s hog-ringing? What was hog-ringing? Hattie Greene: Well, call it hog ring. You h-, you had a gun, [inaudible 13:36] gun, and it had, uh, just like a round earring, you know, you’d tape it down in there’s a hole that [had on there 13:42]. Marilyn Coulter: [13:44] So now, did you prefer the Paint Shop to the Cushion Room? Hattie Greene: Well, the, the Cushion Room was cleaner. You didn’t have all a that, not all a that fumes that you, you know, had over in Paint, you know, [background conversation] but I guess I worked in there long enough I got used to that and so it didn’t bother me, I guess. Marilyn Coulter: [14:06] So, um, [thumping] in working in the Paint Department and working in the Cushion Room and coming in post-war, um, how would you say women in general were treated towards the men? Hattie Greene: Well, some of’m was treated nice because, you know, only the strong survive, I think, because it’s – I think it’s b-, was a lot of separation and stuff, you know, and that kinda stuff. Uh, supervisor, you know, he may like this one or that one. Course it didn’t matter to me. I wasn’t married when I went to work there... Marilyn Coulter: [14:47] So, now was your... Hattie Greene: ...but... Marilyn Coulter: ...did your, did your husband work in the Plant? Hattie Greene: Yes, he worked there. I saw him every day. We rode together most a the time [laughter], ‘cause I had to work nights after our daughter was born. Let’s see, we married in ’53 and our daughter was born in ’59. So, we worked together then, and so, when I had to go to nights, I called back to – I was laid off and I was called back, and that’s when I went to the Cushion Room, and so, I worked in nights for quite some years, and that way I didn’t have to have a babysitter. So, when I decided it’s time for me to go on days, I came back to the Paint Department [background conversation], went on days. Marilyn Coulter: [15:39] And you were hold days in Paint? Hattie Greene: Excuse me? Marilyn Coulter: You were able to hold the day shift on Paint? Hattie Greene: Yeah, I was able to hold it, mm-hm. [background conversation] Course it, it wasn’t, it wasn’t days all the time. When I first went there, it was 3 weeks days and 3 weeks nights; it would swing. That’s... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Hattie Greene: ...that’s the way we would do it, we’d swing shift. You never got used to one shift. [background conversation] Marilyn Coulter: [15:59] So how long did they c-, continue that process? [background conversation] Hattie Greene: Oh, they continued that for quite a, quite some time. You worked 3 weeks days and 3 weeks night. [background conversation] Marilyn Coulter: Oh, wow. [background conversation] Cheryl? Cheryl McQuaid: [16:12] Hattie, you said that you hired in April of ’53... Hattie Greene: Mm-hm. Cheryl McQuaid: ...and you were married in ’53. Hattie Greene: Yes, I was hired in on the 15th of April and I got married on the 26th day of June 1953. Cheryl McQuaid: [16:26] And did you meet your husband in the Plant? Hattie Greene: No, I was – he was lookin’ at me, he was tryin’ to mess around, you know [background conversation] how guys do. No, I didn’t meet him in the Plant. I, I was at this grocery store, he used to come over and buy ice cream and stuff, you know how mens do. [laughter] Cheryl McQuaid: [16:44] And so he had already worked in the Plant and... Hattie Greene: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...and then you came and, and finally a relationship? Hattie Greene: Uh-huh. Cheryl McQuaid: Oh, okay. Excellent. Marilyn Coulter: [murmuring] Doreen? Doreen Howard: [16:58] You said that your daughter was born in what year? Hattie Greene: 1959. Doreen Howard: ’59. [17:06] How did that affect your working life? You said that you were on a swing shift at, at that time when your daughter was born? Were, were they still doin’ the 3 weeks on... Hattie Greene: Mm-hm. You know... Doreen Howard: ...one shift 3 weeks on the next? Hattie Greene: ...I, I, I don’t really remember that right now. Doreen Howard: Okay. That, that’s okay. Hattie Greene: But... Marilyn Coulter: [That’s okay 17:26]. Hattie Greene: ...but I, I don’t, I don’t know, but I know she’s born in ’59. Doreen Howard: Okay. Hattie Greene: At that time... Doreen Howard: That’s when I was born. Hattie Greene: ...I, I was on days or somethin’, because at that time, when I came back to work, uh, I would take my daughter to my aunt to keep [inaudible 17:47] that time, we would take her there to, for her to keep her durin’ the day. I don’t remember when that s-, s-, change did take place, but I know it did. Doreen Howard: [18:01] But you said that your husband and yourself, you worked opposite shifts so that you could... Hattie Greene: Y-, yeah, that was... Doreen Howard: ...have... Hattie Greene: ...later. Doreen Howard: ...childcare [inaudible 18:11]? Hattie Greene: Yeah, I worked, I was workin’ nights at one time and, uh, he was workin’, um, days. That was – she done growed up a little bit then. Doreen Howard: Mm. [18:21] Was that mainly for childcare and family or... Hattie Greene: N-... Doreen Howard: ...or was it because... Hattie Greene: No, ‘cause I was... Doreen Howard: ...a your seniority that, that you [didn’t have 18:29]... Hattie Greene: ...no, I was just... Doreen Howard: ...[the time 18:30]? Hattie Greene: ...havin’ to be on nights at that time when I was – when, uh, that happened. Doreen Howard: Okay. Hattie Greene: Because, uh, let’s see, she wasn’t – she started school in ’60, ’65 I think it was. [murmuring] ‘Cause she woulda been – she started like September and she’d have been 5, you know, in like that November. And I stayed on nights. Didn’t bother by it. I could’ve got on days before, but you know, I didn’t push it, you know, then. Doreen Howard: Mm-hm. Okay. Marilyn Coulter: [19:13] So, um, Ms. Hattie, just kinda goin’ back to the Paint Shop and because a the time you’ve been here, what were some a the biggest – well, what were some a the biggest changes that you saw take place during your time working at Fisher Body? Hattie Greene: Workin’ at Fisher Body? Well, I know the Paint job, it ch-, it changed a lot, because, uh, you know, uh, in workin’ in the Paint Department, like I said, we wore blue jeans or whatever. That, that changed, because – and the womens – at that particular time, I don’t think the womens didn’t – they worked in the Paint, but you know, they didn’t spray the paint, you know, like paint the cars or somethin’ or other, but then that change. The womens, they would have to go in the spray booth and spray cars, put on their coveralls and whatever. I’ll never forget that [Fern 20:17]. [laughter] She had to go there for a while, and she, oh, she was sick, ‘cause she happened to marry a supervisor later, though, but she was sick, but she had to go in there and spray paint just like the mens, and that was somethin’ else. That, that, that was, uh, no job for [inaudible 20:39] no women, but they said equal rights and so they put’m in there, and it was, it was tough, I think. They had to wear the hoods, a cap on their head, and, you know, all that stuff, and I was wearin’ gloves and the shoes get gummy and, uh, all of that kinda stuff. So but some of’m made it. [background conversation] Marilyn Coulter: [21:06] So would you say that this, that, those particular jobs started happening like, like in ’70s, in ’60s, or? When did women start having to do some a the same types of jobs that were traditionally done because of men prior to equal rights? Hattie Greene: Well, all the, all the time except in the Paint, they – I think, more or less, they had jobs that, ya know, I guess they figure wasn’t for the womens at first, but all the jobs, just like when I even was hired in, see, mens was workin’, but that wasn’t sprayin’, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: But they was workin’ right beside the womens doin’ the same thing, you know, that w-, we all was doin’. Marilyn Coulter: [21:45] But some a the jobs like spraying, women started doin’m? Hattie Greene: Y-, they started doin’ that later years. Marilyn Coulter: [21:50] Like in late ’70s or so? ’80s? Hattie Greene: It c-, it could have been. I d-, I don’t really know. Marilyn Coulter: No? Oh that’s fine. Doreen? Doreen Howard: [21:57] Do you think that that was because it was, um, a higher paying job that... Hattie Greene: Well, it didn’t... Doreen Howard: ...did they receive more money for that job and that’s maybe why more men were in there and not the women or... Hattie Greene: Well, that was... Doreen Howard: ...or not the case? Hattie Greene: ...just a man job to me, it looked like... Doreen Howard: Yeah. Hattie Greene: ...but you know, when they got this equal rights and stuff, uh, you know, they started that, just like, you know, it used to be a time that you, like, you couldn’t work over 40 hours, you know, but then that changed. You could work’m long as you wanted to, because I know I had worked 2 or 3 Sundays, you know, 7 days a week. I used to be glad when, um, 40 hours or 54 hours come, ya know, and know I couldn’t any more. They usually get men, you know, somebody who wanted to volunteer and work come over and whatever, you know, they would do it. Marilyn Coulter: [22:57] So they had the whole, the Sundays, the whole line would work 7 days? Hattie Greene: Well, n-, no, no, not the whole line. That was when I, later years when I was workin’, maybe I was workin’ in Repair or doin’ somethin’ other, you know, and the jobs be back up, you know, [inaudible 23:16] and they’d be tryin’ to get’m out, you know, s-, and s-. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Hattie Greene: I know 2, 3 Sundays I did work. Marilyn Coulter: [23:24] So, um, you, you, towards your retirement, you usually began to work in Repair. Hattie Greene: Um, well, yeah, I had worked in Repair quite a few years [inaudible 23:35] time, yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [23:38] And was that something that – w-, was that one of the good things that happened when the equality... Hattie Greene: Well... Marilyn Coulter: ...and things came? Women started gettin’ repair-type jobs? Hattie Greene: ...well, it was good for me because I was over on the sea-, I was on the Sealer Line there, over th-, over there in the sealer. You know, this was a different sealer. This wasn’t like when I first came there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: But this was a different sealin’ stuff you did. And then when they got down to Repair, then they had, oh, m-, I was a relief person in Repair, but the, just before I retired, about a month or so before I retired, and then they screwed around and got somebody else up there and then they sent me upstairs, but I was getting’ ready to retire anyway; it didn’t matter. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [24:26] So now you said you were a relief person. Can you tell me what a relief person does? Hattie Greene: Well, a relief person, you have so many peoples to relief; maybe it was, I don’t know, 6, 7, 8, and that mean that whatever job they perform, you have to know that job, and you relief the person. Say I, okay, I’m gonna relief you. You come, I come there and do your job and you’d have 10 or 12 minutes of whatever time was to go to the bathroom or whatever you gonna do, and then you come back. Then I would go to the next person, whatever job they were doin’, I would go do their job, and that’s the way we did relief. Marilyn Coulter: All right. [25:16] Um, so, uh, were any other changes that you remember? Like as far as breaks or anything that happened? Hattie Greene: Well, we had, uh, we had a, c-, what, coffee break I guess it was called. [laughter] We’d have a break, um, I forgot, it wasn’t too many minutes, but is it 6 minutes we would have, and they used to have wagons come down through there with rolls and things on it and you might actually have to eat in 6 minutes or somethin’ before I go back to the line. Yeah. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Do you have – Cheryl? Cheryl McQuaid: Yeah. [26:00] Hattie, you, um – what was a typical lunch like? Did you sit down right where you worked? Did you bring a lunch? Did you go someplace to eat? Hattie Greene: Well, they always had a cafeteria here. You could go to the cafeteria. Either you sit down – they had a break area, uh, yeah, you know, you could sit down and you could eat your lunch there. Uh, wherever you wanted to. If you wanted to go out – at first we had how many minutes? 30 minutes? Seemed like we had 30 minutes break, lunch, but then later, we had – did we have 42 or what? I don’t remember that. Cheryl McQuaid: [26:48] So did you usually just go to the break room and sit down and have lunch with friends or... Hattie Greene: Oh, I... Cheryl McQuaid: ...did you go to the cafeteria. Hattie Greene: ...yeah, sometime I’d go to the cafeteria and, and sometime I’d just sit down because my better half was there havin’ his lunch too, so. Marilyn Coulter: [27:05] So did you usually prepare lunch and bring it in... Hattie Greene: Well, I... Marilyn Coulter: ...[inaudible 27:08]? Hattie Greene: ...usually bring my lunch most a the time, sometime. I like to bring mine ‘cause I didn’t like all that they had, ‘cause I never heard of bean soup till I had some here. [laughter] I really didn’t. I never heard a bean soup. Marilyn Coulter: So, Ms. Hattie, um, that’s what lunches were like. [27:27] What were some a the types of things that went on in the Paint, maybe during holiday times, maybe when somebody was sick? Did you guys ever have dinners and things... Hattie Greene: Oh, we had... Marilyn Coulter: ...[inaudible 27:23]? Hattie Greene: ...some a the best dinners that you could ever have. When a holiday come, we’d go around, we would, uh, plan what we gonna have, you know, and this person say they’ll bring maybe baked beans. After I started bakin’ beans, they always wanted me to bake beans. And we’d have chicken, we’d have ham, and you name it; all a that good stuff, we’d have it. They’d bring it in, and sometime, uh, we would, uh, take up money, they’d give money and someone would, um, you know, buy the ham or buy the chicken, and we’d bring it in here and we have all th-, everything that goes with it. It was really, really nice. We had some a the biggest dinner, and when a person come to time for retirement, we really had some dinners. We’d have a big dinner there and we would always, uh, take up an offerin’ for that person. We’d go around, [thumping] they’d put the money in, and sometime, well, they would, they’d give’m the money. I remember, I think, when I retired, they gave me a little billfold and put the money in it. But it, it, it was nice. Those was the good ol’ days. Everybody had gotten along good, you know. They’d realized that we all were the same. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: I guess they realized, or at least they showed it, they didn’t – so it, it w-, it was good. It was – the – I, I used to take up a lotta offerin’ and things and get the dinner together. We didn’t have to wait to no special day. Sometime even on the weekend, you know, like on Friday, we used to have a we gonna have a snack somethin’. You know, we’d bring food in and spread it on the table and everything. Good days. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [29:35] Did you develop any friendships during that time? Hattie Greene: Well, I guess I did. The only s-, thing about it, I, I had friends; if they wasn’t, they act like they was, because I s-, I spoke what I think. That’s one thing about me: I speak what I think and they know, and, uh, you know, I have saw s-, so many times guys, you know, they would seem like they’d be – well, they seemed like to be kinda gettin’ smart. You know, if you give’m an inch, they’ll take two, and I would see some a these guys, some a these members was kinda [flippin’ 30:11] girls, and these guy used to pat’m, you know, and they did, they really did used to pat’m and stuff, and so, but they didn’t bother me. I said, “This belongs to Clifford A. and you touch not,” and I was set. I covered the ground I was standin’ on. Don’t touch me. And you – I myself, I could tell if a guy, even if a guy, somebody would pass by me, and if they would kinda touch me, I could tell if it was intentional or just bein’ smart, you know? I could. But I didn’t’m an inch because I didn’t want them to be comin’ up to me for this and that; I had a husband, couple a months after I went in there. Marilyn Coulter: [30:56] So, Ms. Hattie, in, in saying that and knowing how times have changed and because, you know, sexual harassment basically really didn-, was something of later years, did a lot of that go on with the women? Were a lotta peop-, women sexually harassed and things like that in the Plant? Hattie Greene: Well, they, they might a hollered that, but I don’t think they were. They was, they was doin’ that theirself, and then if they get caught, they might would say it, but, but some a these womens needed it, you know, and, and with all due respect, you supposed to carry yourself in a way that a man will respect you, and some a these womens went in here with the, they, they would look better if they had when they got to where they could wear pants and stuff like, you know, I mean shorts, you know? They would wear’m up so short and then they’d have holes in the pants, and some a the boys, the mens would have, you know, the younger men, have holes in their pants, you know, and stuff like that. Well, they, they brought all a this on theirself. If you want respect, you gotta show respect. And so, they were just all hangin’ out, so what the guys gonna do? Marilyn Coulter: All right, I see that. [32:11] So, um, [laughter] um, we had talked about the one thing, and I know you said one thing about being laid off, but one thing we didn’t talk about, and you spoke a little bit about the wagons, [sniffing] but were you ever involved in any of the strikes? Hattie Greene: [sniffing] I sure was. Marilyn Coulter: [32:30] Is there anything that you can tell us about those that you remember? Hattie Greene: Well, [inaudible 32:33] the s-, the strike, and, uh, you know, they had, um, we had strikes, and we had to picket and, you know, so long. You know, we, we w-, had a strike and we worked so long, you know, you stand at wherever they assign you to, you go out there and stand, and [background conversation] at times they would come around with coffee and stuff like that, you know, and, um, but it was okay because we had our rights, you know. If you – you gotta have to fight for what you want. So we were there, standin’ up, some of us kinda shiverin’ a little sometime, but it w-, it w-, it was nice, though. Marilyn Coulter: [33:18] D-, do you remember how long you were out for [30 an hour 33:19]? Hattie Greene: How long were we out? Marilyn Coulter: When they did, when they took the strike for 30 an hour? Hattie Greene: You know, I don’t remember. I really don’t. Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 33:29] that long? Okay, that’s fine. That’s fine. Um, so – Doreen? Doreen Howard: [33:37] Um, you were here [papers rustling] when the Plant was called Fisher Body... Hattie Greene: Mm-hm. Doreen Howard: ...and you were here through the name changes that occurred. What is your feelings about the name changes to the Plant? Hattie Greene: What’s the name now? [laughter] Cheryl McQuaid: Lansing Car Assembly. Doreen Howard: Yup. Hattie Greene: Yeah. Well, yeah. Fisher Body was a real popular name, you know? Hoo, hoo, hoo. Some – I always called it Fisher Body, just, you know, ‘cause that’s all – that’s what it was to me, you know. I guess that’s what it’ll always be. Marilyn Coulter: [34:18] Can you remember one of your happiest moments in the Plant? Hattie Greene: One a my happiest moment when I got my check. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [34:31] Can you remember what your check was when you retired? What you were bringin’ home when you retired versus when you first came in? Hattie Greene: Well, when I came, came in, it was, it was very small; um, it was somewhere, uh, pro-, I don’t know, $100. You know, you used to work all them hours, you know, I mean work 40 hours and you didn’t get a lotta money, but y-, it was a lotta money then... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: ...and you could do a lot with it. Marilyn Coulter: So $100 versus [coughing] several hundred dollars later. Hattie Greene: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [35:09] Um, what about your, um – do you have a best [coughing] – a worst job or a best job that ya did? Hattie Greene: A what? Marilyn Coulter: A best or worst job that you did in the Plant? Hattie Greene: The best, the best job I did was, uh, relief on Repair. [Is that what you mean 35:30]? The worst I did was sealer. [recorder clicking] I don’t remember everything. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [35:35] Now, did you [throat clearing] – I know that, [coughing] I know that you’re a Christian woman and things like that. Did you participate in the bible studies that took place in the Plant? Hattie Greene: Uh, once in a while I would go over and, you know, [inaudible 35:51]. Marilyn Coulter: And participate in the – were they a... Hattie Greene: Well, I’d just go over and listen to them read the scripture and all that kinda stuff... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: ...and be talkin’ about it. Marilyn Coulter: [36:00] And those are some a the things you did during break sometimes? Hattie Greene: Yeah, in my later years. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. So, um, the next thing is I know that you were also union activ-, union active. Hattie Greene: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [36:12] Um, w-, did you ever hold a union office? Hattie Greene: No. Marilyn Coulter: [36:15] Did you go to union meetings? Hattie Greene: Yes, I went to the union meeting. Marilyn Coulter: And were you... Hattie Greene: I didn’t go all the time, but I went to union meeting. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Occasionally? [36:25] Were you involved in any of the, um, committees or auxiliaries that were part of the union? Hattie Greene: Pardon? Marilyn Coulter: Were you a member of any of the [sniffing] committees or auxiliaries for the union? Hattie Greene: Uh, [background conversation] no, I, I was a – no. [background conversation] Marilyn Coulter: [sniffing] You never participated? [36:43] Now, do you participate in any of the activities now? Hattie Greene: Well, I do occasionally. Yeah, I’m retired now. Marilyn Coulter: [36:51] So [laughter] you participate in the retiree functions? Hattie Greene: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: [36:56] And, um, I know you’re also a part of the AARP, yes? Hattie Greene: Uh-huh. Marilyn Coulter: All right. And, um... Hattie Greene: And I’m takin’, I take, I’m takin’ those classes. I went over to this, um, Local. What’s this Local right downhill from the 652? Cheryl McQuaid: 1618? Hattie Greene: 724? Marilyn Coulter: 754? Hattie Greene: Si-... Cheryl McQuaid: Oh. Hattie Greene: Yeah, you know, they was talkin’ about, uh, community service and stuff and people’s be abusin’ all that kinda stuff and I went over there to see what it was all about. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: There’s a lotta things goes on that you don’t know nothin’ about, you could help somebody. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [37:39] So, um, out of all the bargained benefits that we have, which ones do you appreciate that the union have got for you the best? Hattie Greene: Say what? Marilyn Coulter: Out of all our bargained benefits, which ones do you appreciate the best? Hattie Greene: Which one do I appreciate the best? Well, I can’t say which one I appreciate the best, but far as the, uh, since I’ve gotten old, the insurance, the retirement. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: But it’s one thing I always said, that the union, they missed their part. [background conversation] Uh, now what I’m gonna say? They bargained for everything else. I’m a person, I feel like – I’m just one person, I’m gonna speak what I feel – I feel like that a person retires from here, whatever their pension is, that they should be able to [papers rustling] get their pension then, and when they [papers rustling] become old enough for Social Security, they should get their Social Security and it shouldn’t be no cut. Now, that’s where they missed the ball at, [background conversation] because it so happened that when I retired, I never, never got the full pension. It wasn’t somethin’ that I had planned, but the year that I retired, 1993, I just said when I go this year, I said I’m gonna retire. My husband tried to get me retired when he did; he retired about almost 7 years before I did. But I had to make my own mind up, because I know it wouldn’t be no comin’ back, but in, in, in the end too, at that particular time when I retired, okay, I got my pension, but it was cut. I didn’t know. I was 65 years old when I retired. So, I never got the full pension. But I felt like if I didn’t have it then, I won’t get it. The Lord said that he would supply I would ever need [background conversation] and he has supplied my need, and the Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want. So I just thank Him and praise Him for that, so. Marilyn Coulter: So, Ms. Hattie. Hattie Greene: Yes, ma’am. Marilyn Coulter: 40 years. Um, you went through a lotta changes, [background conversation], lotta name changes at the Plant. [background conversation] [40:32] Um, [background conversation] is there anything else that has a big – that left a big impact you, on you on, over your 40 years that you want to share with us? Just anything that... Hattie Greene: Well, the only thing I can say, whatever you do, [beeping] do your best. Do the best thing that you could do, and don’t let nobody turn you around, and when the time come for you to, you ladies to retire, you be very sure – it’s just like that song – be very sure that [inaudible 41:09]. Be very sure that you’s ready to retire. So I don’t have any regrets whatsoever... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: ...of my retirement. Marilyn Coulter: And uh, I was gonna quick – I have one other thing. 40 years. 40 years... Hattie Greene: [Yes, ma’am 41:24]. Marilyn Coulter: ...and they always called Lansing the Capital of Quality, and you’ve been through a lot of model changes... Hattie Greene: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...different vehicles, and they called us a Capital of Quality. Hattie Greene: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: [41:34] What would you attribute us being always #1 or #2? Hattie Greene: Well, you’ve worked hard. You worked hard and you try to put the – do a job, put the jobs together. That’s one thing. You put the jobs together. When I, when I g-, you know, got my car and, uh, I always look around at the – you know, some people just look at the outside, but I know, I worked on cars. I know where to look for things at... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Hattie Greene: ...and so I, I look and – like my car was [hidden 42:09] one time, and so I said, “Well, let’s call this to get it fixed.” You know, well, everybody’s gotta make a livin’, and I understand. These repair shop, a lot of’m are just a ripoff, you know, because I, I, I know how we repaired cars on the line. You didn’t have to – if you had a door, you didn’t have to do that whole door. You know what I’m sayin’? We sand that door down, that spot, if it was a flaw in it, we mashed it all, it went through the spray booth, and you couldn’t even tell that it had even been there. But everybody have to make a livin’, so I understand that. Marilyn Coulter: Well, all right. Well, that’s it. All right. Hattie Greene: Well, that’s it. Doreen Howard: Yup. Thank you. Linda Johnson: Thank you. Hattie Greene: Well... Marilyn Coulter: Thank you for your time. Hattie Greene: ...I’m – I was very pleased and I hope that I said somethin’ that will enlighten you ladies. Marilyn Coulter: All right. Doreen Howard: Well, that’s – thank you. Cheryl McQuaid: Thank you, Hattie. Hattie Greene: Thank you. Marilyn Coulter: Thank you, Ms. Hattie. Doreen Howard: Thank you. Hattie Greene: Mm-hm. [recorder clicking] /rt