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I agree.Part of an interview with Essie Shelton Jacobs by Claytee White on February 1, 1996 and April 15, 1996. Jacobs discusses her role as a shop steward in the Culinary Union and describes community relations with the union.
Essie Shelton Jacobs oral history interviews, 1996 February 01, 1996 April 16. OH-00932. [Audio recording] Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, La
English
Do you remember any other agents or stewards that were from Fordyce? During the time that I was a shop steward, I don't recall no other shop steward in the union with me, but me, was a shop steward at Local 226. Because you're so close to the union at this time, everybody probably in your neighborhood, people from Fordyce, know that you're a steward How did they react to you here in the community and how did they feel about the union? Good. We had a union then. We had a great union because you know what? All I had to do was walk through the locker room and tell them, hey, don't forget there is a meeting tonight. I said, be there. Ask no questions tomorrow because you get no answer. That's right. So, they was there and they got up and asked what they wanted to hear from our secretary and he answered to the best of his ability. He'd tell you, without you, there was no union and he wanted to hear from you. Did the union help to instill a sense of solidarity, a sense of sisterhood and brotherhood on the job? Yes, they did. They said work together, stand together. If I sat, if the hotel signed you to sixteen rooms, if you give me an hour in each room, you won't do no more than fourteen or fifteen rooms a day. Stay 30 minutes to a room and that is your goal. What you do, you do it good. We can come for a clean room, but we cannot come for a dirty room. That's when they said, whatever you do, do it good.