Page 29 - A Visit with Winston Ruck, Steelworker

ISSUE : Issue 60

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1992/6/1

(The majority of the people that voted for you--would they be black?) No! Geez, the blacks--if we had about 50 to 75 black people working on the plant, among 4000 people, that's all we had. (So first you ran a campaign to get elected to the Grievance Committee.) I really didn't. They knew that I was running be? cause they had to put the notices up on the bulletin board--that these people are run? ning for the General Yard Grievance--voting would be on such-and-such a day. (You didn't have to make speeches?) No. They knew you and that's it. You never had to make any speeches. You never had to go be? fore a body. If I would talk to the guys, the guys would talk to me, working, back and forth. They knew who I was, they knew I was running. And they made a decision. I didn't go openly and ask people to support me or vote for me. That was their choice. I ran for the Record? ing Secretary position on the Executive in 1964--that's a step above the Grievance Committee. I was elected to that. I de? feated about 3 or 4 other guys. (So when you say you ran, that means....) I was nominated on the floor of the union hall. That's where you had to go and get a nomination made and seconded, so it was officially entered in the minutes. It's not a fly-by-night thing. I had people who advo? cated to support Wins? ton. That sort of thing. People did that. But they did that solely on their own. I had no orga? nized campaign. I always felt good about that. I didn't purposely sell or go around house-to-house. I never did that. I talked to guys on the plant who talked to me about it. I never started that sort of thing. It wouldn't be the proper thing to do in the first instance I had more pride in myself not to demean yourself in that fashion. I was elected Recording Secretary and I served there about for 3 years. Regular meetings were held every week. My job was to record the minutes properly. And re.ad the minutes. And read the correspondence. That sort of thing. Standard. (Why would you want a job like that?) Well, it was an opportunity to me. And I particularly didn't seek it out by myself. I did it at the urging of people who fig? ured that I would make a good executive officer, I suppose. To be frank about it. (It didn't relieve you of any work time.) No. I had my job in the plant. (So this is extra.) Yes. (Maybe before we leave the Grievance Com? mittee, I want to ask you: Did you, indi? vidually, actually do grievance fighting CAPE BRETON BRACE LTD. presents FOOTMAXX FIRST SYSTEM EAST OF TORONTO 85% of all adults complain of: Foot pain Tired legs Sore knees Aching backs Stiff nnuscles Tingling Nunnbness Many others suffer from: Bunions Callouses Corns Hammer toes Heel pain (Plantar Fasciitis) Heel spurs Shin splints Tendonitis (Achilles) The good news is that pain resulting from nearly all of the above symptoms and conditions may be relieved by correcting the way you walk. Your feet are the foundation of your body. With FOOTMAXX COMPUTER GENERATED ARCH SUPPORTS we take the guesswork out of your foot problems, and get you back on your feet again. Would you like to get rid of your foot pain? Then call and make an appointment today! (902) 539-5100 Footmaxx LOW ARCH (Pronation) FOOTMAXX the main alternative to foot pain!

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