Page 8 - We Worked for General Instruments: Part Two: The Conclusion

ISSUE : Issue 50

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1989/1/1

this side, and she did this side. Then she just went right on back to that side. And it was just a continuous cleaning. And that was one woman. She never came out of that washroom, except for her lunch and breaks. We used to have a buzzer ring at 20 after 4. And when that buzzer rang, you stopped work, and you cleaned up your spot. And your spot had to be spotless. You had to get a broom and sweep the floor all around you. You only had one little area. Oh, there were about 15 brooms in a line, and 15 dustpans. I swept mine. I passed it to her. She swept hers. And then you took a cloth, and you washed where you were work? ing. And you put everything away. You made sure everything was shut off. Well, then at 4:30, there was another buzzer went off. You punched out and went home. But they gave you 10 minutes to get your hands clean, and clean up your spot first. And they were very strict on that. (Did women ever get hurt?) Oh yes, yes-- many, many accidents. Working with machin? ery. Like, I had my girl friend, she had this big heavy machine where she pressed a button and it drilled a hole. And one time she had her hand there, and her elbow ac? cidentally hit the button, and (it) went Open The Door To Job Opportunities A Nova Scotia Community College diploma can be the first step to a rewarding career. Through its various education and skills training programs, the Nova Scotia Community College can help you build a good future in the • TRADES • TECHNICAL • TECHNOLOGICAL • APPLIED ARTS FIELDS. For a full list of programs, course and registration information, please contact: Strait Campus P.O. Box 2000, Reeves Street, Port Hawkesbury, N.S. BOE 2V0 625-2200 Sydney Campus 365 Prince Street, Sydney, N.S. B1P 5L2 563-2088 P.O. Box 1225, Reeves Street, Port Hawkesbury, N.S. BOE 2V0 625-2380 Adult VocationalTraining Campus P.O. Box 1042, Glace Bay Highway, Sydney, N.S. B1P 6J7 563-2450 iNova 5)Coiia Department of Advanced Education and Job Training right through her hand. Drilled a hole right through her hand. Right through the nail. That finger right there--it's still all black there. You know, piddley acci? dents, not--I couldn't say--due to the fault--they were very, very strict. If you worked with soldering, you had to wear protective eyeglasses. And helmets--if a piece of solder went in your hair, you were gone. Then they'd have a protective apron for them. They had this big rubber, steel apron, heavy as could be. But a lot of the girls figured, "I don't need that. And nobody's watching--I'11 take that off." A lot of the accidents were due-- like, with my girl friend. When she was not punching in, she was supposed to have that shut off. She didn't. So, it was her own fault. Ann Young They'd go fast sometimes, and they'd get their hand--a lot of them got their fin? gers crushed. The tips of their fingers. really, were the major ones. Especially on the key line, maybe their finger in the machine, rushing. You know, trying to go faster. A lot of them got the tips of their fingers crushed. That was the biggest thing. One girl got her hair caught, and only for Rudy Mullins--she just got it--it was a Uoyd MacDonald ' NISSAN Our 29th Year 124 KINGS ROAD SYDNEY RIVER Toll Free 1-800-565-9427 20 CAR SHOWROOM • 89 Pathfinder 4x4 NOW IN STOCK

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