Search Constraints
Search Results
- Description:
- Vernon Cook recalls working at REO Motor Car Company/Diamond-Reo Trucks, Inc, in Lansing, Mi, between 1944 and 1948. Cook says that much of his family worked at REO, including his future wife and that company culture dominated their lives. He describes factory working conditions, the REO Clubhouse, seeing the "Baby REO" car on display, the 1937 sit-down strike, and listening to WREO, the company radio station. He also talks at length about his job as a stock chaser in the plant and describes how trucks were built, tested and then dismantled for export. Interviewers are Shirley Bradley and Lisa Fine. Recorded as part of the REO Memories oral history project.
- Date Issued:
- 1992-02-05T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Russell Alberts talks about working at REO Motor Car Company, in Lansing, MI, from 1928 to 1939. Alberts describes conditions in the plant, his jobs, pay, benefits, and hours, before unionization and the great strides made by workers after the big labor strike of 1937 and the Lansing Labor Holiday. He also talks about the REO Clubhouse, the radio station, REO products and making experimental vehicles for the American military. Alberts' wife, Eva Alberts, describes her work in the REO Navy Department during the war and both discuss an accidental death in the plant and the safety issues which plagued the manufacturer for decades. The interviewer is Shirley Bradley. Recorded as part of the REO Memories oral history project.
- Date Issued:
- 1992-04-16T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Irene Collier, administrative professional for the Christman Company in Lansing, Michigan, talks about her duties on the project to renovate, restore, and construct new portions of the Snyder-Phillips Halls complex to house the new Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) on the campus of Michigan State University. Collier explains Christman's role as general contractor, the complexity of the project, and the challenges of coordinating the schedules of thirty different subcontractors. She also talks about a dispute over using a non-union contractor, prevailing wage requirements, and how it feels to be the lone female working on the project.
- Date Issued:
- 2007-07-18T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Otto Aves talks about his career at REO Motor Car Company/Diamond-Reo Trucks, Inc., in Lansing, MI, from 1944 to 1972. Aves describes growing up on a Delta Township farm and following both of his parents into the plant. He also talks about building military vehicles without heaters and defrosters, trying to run the family farm while working double shifts, a wildcat strike over piece rate pay, conditions on the shop floor, building custom trucks for celebrities, and the tremendous influence of the UAW. He says that REO was much like a family and reminisces about REO picnics, outings at Lake Lansing, the REO Clubhouse, movies, bowling, and the ball teams. As in any family, he says, there were problems and he describes filing a shop grievance against his real-life father-in-law who also worked at REO. The interviewers are Shirley Bradley and Lisa Fine. Recorded as part of the REO Memories oral history project.
- Date Issued:
- 1993-01-04T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Sam Ruegsegger, project manager for the Christman Company, and Jeff White, project superintendent, talk about their responsibilities on the project to renovate, restore, and construct new portions of the Snyder-Phillips Halls complex to house the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) on the campus of Michigan State University. They talk about learning to work together, the project's aggressive schedule, coordinating all the complex tasks and resources needed, and the difficulties in trying to plan ahead for all of the many construction details. They also talk about site picketing by union members, how the Chirstman follows all wage rate laws, and how they try to foster good relations with the unions.
- Date Issued:
- 2007-08-06T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Irene Collier, administrative professional for the Christman Company in Lansing, Michigan, talks about her duties on the project to renovate, restore, and construct new portions of the Snyder-Phillips Halls complex to house the new Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) on the campus of Michigan State University. Collier explains Christman's role as general contractor, the complexity of the project, and the challenges of coordinating the schedules of thirty different subcontractors. She also talks about a dispute over using a non-union contractor, prevailing wage requirements, and how it feels to be the lone female working on the project.
- Date Issued:
- 2007-07-18T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Sam Ruegsegger, project manager for the Christman Company, and Jeff White, project superintendent, talk about their responsibilities on the project to renovate, restore, and construct new portions of the Snyder-Phillips Halls complex to house the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) on the campus of Michigan State University. They talk about learning to work together, the project's aggressive schedule, coordinating all the complex tasks and resources needed, and the difficulties in trying to plan ahead for all of the many construction details. They also talk about site picketing by union members, how the Chirstman follows all wage rate laws, and how they try to foster good relations with the unions.
- Date Issued:
- 2007-08-06T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Vernon Cook recalls working at REO Motor Car Company/Diamond-Reo Trucks, Inc, in Lansing, Mi, between 1944 and 1948. Cook says that much of his family worked at REO, including his future wife and that company culture dominated their lives. He describes factory working conditions, the REO Clubhouse, seeing the "Baby REO" car on display, the 1937 sit-down strike, and listening to WREO, the company radio station. He also talks at length about his job as a stock chaser in the plant and describes how trucks were built, tested and then dismantled for export. Interviewers are Shirley Bradley and Lisa Fine. Recorded as part of the REO Memories oral history project.
- Date Issued:
- 1992-02-05T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Russell Alberts talks about working at REO Motor Car Company, in Lansing, MI, from 1928 to 1939. Alberts describes conditions in the plant, his jobs, pay, benefits, and hours, before unionization and the great strides made by workers after the big labor strike of 1937 and the Lansing Labor Holiday. He also talks about the REO Clubhouse, the radio station, REO products and making experimental vehicles for the American military. Alberts' wife, Eva Alberts, describes her work in the REO Navy Department during the war and both discuss an accidental death in the plant and the safety issues which plagued the manufacturer for decades. The interviewer is Shirley Bradley. Recorded as part of the REO Memories oral history project.
- Date Issued:
- 1992-04-16T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Description:
- Otto Aves talks about his career at REO Motor Car Company/Diamond-Reo Trucks, Inc., in Lansing, MI, from 1944 to 1972. Aves describes growing up on a Delta Township farm and following both of his parents into the plant. He also talks about building military vehicles without heaters and defrosters, trying to run the family farm while working double shifts, a wildcat strike over piece rate pay, conditions on the shop floor, building custom trucks for celebrities, and the tremendous influence of the UAW. He says that REO was much like a family and reminisces about REO picnics, outings at Lake Lansing, the REO Clubhouse, movies, bowling, and the ball teams. As in any family, he says, there were problems and he describes filing a shop grievance against his real-life father-in-law who also worked at REO. The interviewers are Shirley Bradley and Lisa Fine. Recorded as part of the REO Memories oral history project.
- Date Issued:
- 1993-01-04T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection