Fonnie Price, an African American, discusses his career as a UAW production worker, skilled trades millwright, then GM maintenance manager at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI
Fonnie talks about working for Studebaker in South Bend and coming to Fisher in April 1955. He describes a workplace with few blacks placed on the worst jobs, being placed in the lead solder booth and receiving blood tests for lead exposure. Fonnie describes his move to skilled trades, racial issues, relations with coworkers and managers, and his move to supervision. He reflects on the challenges of being a lone black supervisor, his promotions, retirement and recent loss of benefits.
Read
- In Collections
-
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Copyright Status
- In Copyright
- Date
- 2006-02-01
- Interviewees
-
Price, Fonnie
- Interviewers
-
Coulter, Marilyn
Fedewa, John
Smith, Jerri
McQuaid, Cheryl
Judy, Gary
- Subjects
-
Price, Fonnie
African American automobile industry workers
African American labor union members
Career changes
Career development--Psychological aspects
Discrimination in employment
Interpersonal relations
Middle managers, Retired
Postemployment benefits
Michigan--Lansing
- Material Type
-
Sound recordings
- Language
-
English
- Extent
- 01:02:54
- Venue Note
-
Recorded on Feb. 1, 2006 as part of the United Auto Workers Local 602/General Motors Oral History Project.
- Holding Institution
-
Vincent Voice Library
- Call Number
- Voice 15551
- Catalog Record
- http://catalog.lib.msu.edu/record=b6795319
- Permalink
- https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5bz6184w