Page 21 - We Worked for General Instruments: Part Two: The Conclusion

ISSUE : Issue 50

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1989/1/1

on our line, testing tuners, and I think he picked up a bit of what he could. Go in about 7 in the morning. Speak to the girls--as best you could, now, because most of these girls didn't speak English. I don't think any of them spoke English. Did a lot of this pointing, like, "Yeah. No." You know--core wrench. Getting across to them how to do it. Then I'd pick up certain tuners that they had done that were going down the belt, to check them. I always had the help of getting somebody there that could speak. Okay, so we got it through like that. Then go upstairs and look at different tuners. Taking apart--say there was a bit of trou? ble. See, I knew more by looking at it like this, and say, "No, wrong," than I can explain it to you. Because I didn't know the name. So that was about it. (You had been working here in Sydney.) For 5 years. And when I started as a tester, I decided, if I was going to be a tester, I wanted to be the best one that--one of the best--I wanted to know my job. I was in? terested in it. I don't know why. It wasn't like cooking, or, you know. Doing it--it was something I liked. It was like a challenge, I guess. (Not like cooking.) Not like something that anybody could do. A lot of girls did not like testing. They did not stay on your line. Because they thought--this is too, maybe, aggravating. Trying to get a little line up with a screwdriver like this. But once you got the hang of it, you just went t-t-t-t. Oh, I really liked it. And then I thought I'd like to go into QC (Quality Control). They had different little things, parts that went onto a tuner. So I played around with that a little bit. Then I thought, now, I'll go back out and--I trained girls. I was good at training them, be? cause I could get it across to them. And I had the patience. If they couldn't get it, you know, I didn't mind, I knew we had X amount of time to do that, and 3 months was more than enough--if they would give themselves a chance. (Here's a job that you loved. You'd given 5 years to it. And they wanted you now to go to Mexico to train people to replace you, to take your plant.) I couldn't do anything about the plant closing. So, I wasn't training somebody actually to take over my job--that sounds kind of stupid, doesn't it, to go and train someone to take over your job. (You didn't train them with that intention, but that's what was happening.) I knew the plant was leaving. I knew the plant was leaving, okay? If I didn't go, maybe somebody else would go, I don't know. (I understand that. But I wonder what your feelings were.) Oh, God--you were losing your job. It was an awful feeling. That The Department of Community Services providing services and financial assistance to those who need them. For more about services and programs, contact your local office of the Department of Community Services listed in your telephone directory. :x: Department of Community Services RoUie's (Wharf) Restaurant and Lounge - Specializing in Fresh Seafood and Steaks -- LICENSED RESTAURANT LOUNffi Near Lifeguard Supervised Recreation Lunch and Dinner 11:30 a. m. to 10 p.m. 7 Days a Week 411 Purvis Street in North Sydney on the NORTHSIDE WATERFRONT near MARINE ATLANTIC Monday to Saturday * 7 p. m. to 2 a. m. Large Video Screen and Dance Floor Live Entertainment Newly Remodelled Wharf for Pleasure Craft

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