◆ SpookStack

Cc. | O RE: JOHN L, LEIS, ET AL L7e- S77 INTERVIE. VIT= QQ Mey 22, 1937 wo figured there night b> some trouble ‘but didn't think there would be any strike. The continu whole trouble as I remembcor it was due to no contract. Some of the men loaded short cars the day the mine closed, wo were told to lead them short, I don't know who told us, #17 don't reniber signing any petition for either the U.M.W. or the F.M.... the summer after the mine closed. tT did not know that the U.M.W. was forming a U.M.. local in Spring- faeld the summer of 1937. "T heard somethin: about Falsetti running the Jefferson but I knew nothin; about it myself. "In Sapt. 1927 we heard that the mine was going to be opened with U.ii.u. men so we wont out to pickct and keep anyone else from teking our job. The first day < few men went down one of them was Andy Schrelevious. alter this no one went down ct oll and we sted there for about 60 days. Taere wos no troubi. during the strike, there were no strang-rs out there, we behaved oursclves and no one bothered us. No one foreced us to stay at tho mine, wo werc just there to protect our job. I was there when the Marshali occ and told us we hed to lave this was avout 9 OO pm when he came we fll Icft penceful. "T wos not ther. when they tried to cpen the nine a fuw days aftor the Marshal mede us leave the mine. WI voted in the first N.L.R.B. election. This was an honest election as for as I know. WNobods told m who I had t> vote for. tT did not go to the minc when they tried to open it in Jan, 1938. T heard of it but I was working on @.P.a. end did not go over therc. "During the time between the lst N.L.R.B. elcetion and the time the wine esined for good I know of nothing unusual thet happened. Wehon the mine «pened for good I got « registc.d letter teliing ne to come back in 10 dsys. I went beck to uy old place. Tnever saw anyone just got my check and went to work at once, linen we went back there was supposed to be no union in the ming both unions were supposed to werk in there to- gether, It makes no difference to me which union I belonged to. IT paid my dues to P.il... until I saw the majority was going to U.M.7, then I joined them. Nobody ever threatened me to makc me join any union. I just went with the majerity. I do not remember sisning any cards for either U.N. or Poe. in 1940. I saw a lot of new men when I went broek to the mine. I did ° ~121- me en ee ee yen pte mat eee Same ee