Interview with Eloise Pyle Bevins and Anna Mae Fields, July 2, 1987

Partial Transcript: Eloise, say your name.

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about the working conditions and duties of dietary workers in the hospital. She talks about the staffing and pay issues she faced, especially being classified as part time. She also discusses how her training did not relate to her actual job.

Keywords: Aid; Air conditioning; Benefits; Bosses; Burns; Charlene Burgess; Coworkers; Dietary; Dishes; Divorces; Duties; Elevators; Exhaust fumes; Food carts; Full time workers; Government assistance programs; Irony; Jobs; Ms. Vickers; Nutrition; Overtimes; Part-time workers; Pay; Picket lines; Pickets; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Sanitary works; Shifts; Staffing; Staffs; Supervisors; Training; Understaffed; Unemployment offices; United Methodist Hospital; Ventilation; Wages; Working conditions

Subjects: Cafeterias; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Occupations.; Picketing.; Salaries

Partial Transcript: Did they hire more people? Because it was a bigger hospital.

Segment Synopsis: Bevins discusses the division of labor and schedules at the new hospital, especially while she was pregnant. She and Fields also talk about the relationships between the kitchen staff and their supervisor.

Keywords: Breaks; Daisy Fields; Dietary; Duties; Evaluations; Fathers; Friendships; Gifts; Gossips; Holidays; Hospital staff; Hospitals; Jobs; Kitchen staff; Minnie Carl; Mothers; Ms. Vickers; Parents; Pay; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Pregnant women; Quitting; Relationships; Resignations; Ruth Blankenship; Schedules; Secrets; Shifts; Sick days; Staffing; Sue Wilkerson; Supervisors; Terminations; Unionization; Vacation days; Wages; Working conditions

Subjects: Cafeterias; Children; Families.; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Occupations.; Work environment

Partial Transcript: Where were you living?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about commuting to work, as well as getting her first car and learning to drive.

Keywords: Alpha Ratliff; Brothers; Car problems; Carpooling; Carpools; Cars; Check ups; Commutes; Concerns; Coworkers; Driver licenses; Drivers; Driving; Evening shifts; Fathers; Kentucky; Learning; Licenses; Mothers; Parents; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Schedules; Shifts; Siblings; Weather conditions; Worries

Subjects: Cafeterias; Driving skills; Families.; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Occupations.; Pikeville (Ky.); Work environment

Partial Transcript: So you worked up there at the hospital then until they moved it over to, to the new hospital?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about the sanitary work required of the kitchen staff, like emptying trash and mopping, unlike any other department in the hospital. She discusses refusing to do some of these duties because she believed them to be unfair. Bevins talks about her views of unions, especially as the daughter of a UMWA miner. Bevins and Fields talk about organizing in the hospital as well as the terminations that started the strike.

Keywords: Adjustments; Bills; Changes; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Complaints; Daughters; Dietary; Duties; Fathers; Grievances; Hospitals; Insurances; Job descriptions; Jobs; Kitchen staff; Kitchens; Maintenance departments; Maintenance works; Meetings; Minimum wages; Mops; Ms. Vickers; Organizing; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Rules; Sanitary works; Sanitation; Security; Set ups; Slaves; Staffing; Strikebreakers; Supervisors; Terminations; Trash; Union activities; Union cards; Union halls; Union meetings; Union organizing; Unions; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA); Votes; Voting; Wages; Walls; Working conditions

Subjects: Cafeterias; Communications Workers of America; Families; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Occupations.; Salaries; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: You remember that night me and you and, uh, Mary Anne and, uh, Brie and, uh, who else was it come--all--who left out of the union office who come to the picket line?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins and Fields talks about their experiences picketing, including Bevins nearly being run over by a board member and attempting to stop strikebreakers.

Keywords: "Scabs"; Board members; Cars; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Dietary; Duties; Foods; Hospital boards; Hospital staff; Hospitals; Injunctions; Jobs; Kitchen staff; Organizing; Picket lines; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Shifts; Strikes; Supervisors; Terminations; Understaffed; Union activities; Union halls; Union organizing; Unionization; Unions; Violence; Wages; Weather conditions

Subjects: Cafeterias; Communications Workers of America; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Labor unions; Labor unions--Organizing; Occupations.; Picketing; Picketing.; Pikeville (Ky.); Salaries; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: So what is the story about tomatoes?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about throwing tomatoes at strikebreakers including the preparation and legal repercussions. Bevins and Fields also talk about other hearings and some of their subjects, like name calling.

Keywords: "Scabs"; Bills; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Dietary; Duties; Fines; Hearings; Hospital staff; Hospitals; Identifications; Insults; Jobs; Kitchen staff; Name calling; Names; Organizing; Picket lines; Picketing; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Property; Safety; Strikes; Tomatoes; Union activities; Union organizing; Unions; Violence; Wigs

Subjects: Communications Workers of America; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Labor unions; Labor unions--Organizing; Occupations.; Picketing.; Pikeville (Ky.); Strikebreakers; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: Well, what other things do you remember doing on the picket line?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about the circumstances that led to meeting her current husband. She also talks about how she stopped picketing after getting married to Ermel.

Keywords: Car problems; Car troubles; Cars; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Dates; Dating; Ermel Bevins; Foods; Gas stations; Hospital staff; Hospitals; Husbands; Kitchen staff; Marriages; Mr. Thomas; Organizing; Picket lines; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Repairs; Romances; Safety; Spouses; Strikes; Union activities; Union halls; Union organizing; Unionization

Subjects: Communications Workers of America; Families.; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Labor unions; Labor unions--Organizing; Picketing.; Pikeville (Ky.); Women political activists

Partial Transcript: So then, how long were you on the picket line for?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about entertainment on the picket line. Bevins and Fields talk about interactions with opponents of the strike and safety concerns, especially with board members. Bevins also discusses the effigies near the picket line.

Keywords: Anger; Board members; Boycotts; Burning crosses; Careers; Cars; Cheeses; Communications; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Cooks; Effigies; Entertainment; Fears; Foods; Friendships; Gibson's; Hospitals; Interactions; Jobs; Jokes; Morals; Opponents; Organizing; Persuasion; Picket lines; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Relationships; Representation; Safety; Scares; Schedules; Scheduling; Staff; Strikes; Terminations; Union halls; Union meetings; Unions; Violence; Workplaces

Subjects: Communications Workers of America.; Hospitals--Employees--Salaries, etc.; Occupations.; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: I remember one time, uh, I believe it was my cousin had got hurt in a mine accident.

Segment Synopsis: Bevins discusses the supporters of the strike including miners and their families at points. She and Fields also talk about strikebreakers, especially the Filipino immigrants. Bevins talks about the opposition for the strike within her own family.

Keywords: "Foreigners"; "Scabs"; Adventures; Aunts; Colleagues; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Cousins; Coworkers; Dietary; Filipinos; Friends; Friendships; Hospital boards; Hospital staff; Hospitals; Immigrants; Jobs; Kitchen staff; Miners; Opponents; Opposition; Organizing; Philippines; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Relationships; Replacements; Staffing; Strikes; Tacks; Union activities; Unionization; Unions; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA); Wages

Subjects: Cafeterias; Communications Workers of America; Families.; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Labor unions; Labor unions--Organizing; Pikeville (Ky.); Strikebreakers; United Mine Workers of America; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: Well, what did you do after you and Erm got married?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about how her life changed after marrying her current husband Ermel, like quitting her job and having grandchildren.

Keywords: Deaths; Divorcees; Ermel Bevins; Expectant mothers; Grandchildren; Grandkids; Grandparents; Housing; Husbands; Jobs; Kids; Marriages; Pregnancies; Pregnant women; Quitting; Remarrying; Resignations; Spouses; Terminations; Trailers

Subjects: Children; Families.; Hospital and community.; Medical care--Kentucky; Occupations; Pregnancy and infants

Partial Transcript: I asked you if you had--or I didn't ask you. You said you'd taken the training, um, and from that got your job.

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about how she got her job. Bevins and Fields talk about the start of the strike and the terminations of staff during the unionization effort, including Bevins.

Keywords: Communications Workers of America (CWA); Dietary; Hospital staff; Hospitals; Jobs; Kitchen staff; Organizing; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Staffing; Strikes; Supervisors; Terminations; Union activities; Union organizing; Unionization; Unions; Wages

Subjects: Communications Workers of America; Food service employees; Hospital and community.; Hospital care--United States.; Labor unions; Labor unions--Organizing; Occupations.; Picketing; Picketing.; Pikeville (Ky.); Women political activists

Partial Transcript: What are some--are there other things that you did in addition to what we already talked about, um, during the strike?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins and Fields talk about attending rallies especially in Charleston, as well as roadblocks. Bevins discusses attending a specific rally and spending time with Ermel afterwards, which angered her mother.

Keywords: Booklets; Boyfriends; Comments; Conflicts; Dads; Dates; Dating; Daughters; Disabilities; Ermel Bevins; Fathers; Fights; Fundraising; Methodist churches; Methodists; Mothers; Movies; Organizations; Parents; Promotions; Property damages; Rallies; Roadblocks; Strikes; Supporters; Traveling; Travels; Unionizations; Unions; United Methodist Church; Violence

Subjects: Children; Communications Workers of America.; Families.; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Sexism.; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; United Mine Workers of America; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: You said if you had to do it again, you'd do it again, right?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins and Fields talk about what they would change about the strike if they could. Bevins discusses why she never returned to the hospital despite her attempts to do so. She also talks about her regrets and accomplishments from the strike.

Keywords: "Scabs"; Accomplishments; Advice; Arnold Miller; Benefits; Changes; Checks; Communications; Concerns; Conclusions; Explanations; Friends; Friendships; Households; Kids; Leaders; Leadership; Medical cards; Miners; Persuasion; Physicals; Picket lines; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Pregnancies; Pregnant women; Reflections; Regrets; Relationships; Signs; Strikers; Strikes; Terminations; Union cards; Unionization; Unions; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA); Wages; Workplaces; Worries

Subjects: Collective labor agreements; Communications Workers of America.; Communities; Families; Hospital and community.; Hospitals--Employees--Salaries, etc.; Occupations.; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; United Mine Workers of America; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: Where were you living when you came out? You were living with your mother and dad, right?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about her family life during the strike which included some conflict with her mother. She discusses moving in with a fellow striker, then an apartment with union help, and finally returning home to her parents and children.

Keywords: Apartment; Colleagues; Conflict; Coworkers; Fathers; Friends; Friendships; Homesick; Households; Kids; Moves; Moving; Picket lines; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Relationships; Sickness; Strike benefits; Strikers; Strikes; Union benefits; Unionization; Unions

Subjects: Children; Communications Workers of America.; Families.; Hospital and community.; Labor unions--Strike benefits; Occupations.; Picketing.; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; Work life

Partial Transcript: Now, tell me whe--where you were born.

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about her childhood in a large family as well as her education. She discusses dropping out at sixteen because of her mother's demands. She also discusses her first marriage which was abusive, and her second marriage which ended in divorce. Bevins talks about the origins of her parents and her current husband Ermel.

Keywords: Abuses; Abusive relationships; Annulments; Brothers; Buses; Chores; Climates; Deaths; Divorces; Drop outs; Education; Ermel Bevins; Fathers; Gender stereotypes; High school educations; Households; Housework; Jobs; Kids; Marriages; Mothers; Moves; Moving; Oklahoma; Origins; Pike County (Ky.); Relationships; School buses; Schoolhouses; Siblings; Sisters; Spouses; Telephone solicitors; Violence; Wages

Subjects: Childhood; Children; Education--Kentucky; Families.; Family histories.; Kentucky--Social life and customs; Occupations; Rural children

Partial Transcript: Do you like it up here?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about her health, including her exercise. She discusses the house she and Ermel built, especially her garden and neighbors. Bevins talks about why she would not return to the hospital today and finally receiving her backpay.

Keywords: Backpay; Budgets; Chores; Climbing; Climbs; Construction; Exercises; Furniture; Gardens; Health; Homes; Households; Houses; Housing; Husbands; Kids; Marriages; Mothers; Overweight; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Pregnancies; Produces; Relationships; Seeds; Spouses; Wages; Wives

Subjects: Childhood; Children; Communities.; Families.; Hospital and community.; Hospitals--Employees--Salaries, etc.; Kentucky--Social life and customs; Neighborhoods.; Neighborliness; Neighbors; Occupations.

Partial Transcript: Well, let me ask a few more wrap-up questions about the strike.

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about the lessons she learned from the strike and advice she would give to future strikers. She also discusses her disappointment at not succeeding in unionization and returning to the hospital.

Keywords: Advice; Benefits; Changes; Communications; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Concerns; Conclusions; Contracts; Cruelty; Disappointments; Dispositions; Duties; Households; Learning; Lessons; Picket lines; Pikeville Methodist Hospital; Reflections; Regrets; Relationships; Rights; Signs; Strikes; Superiority; Terminations; Unionization; Unions; Wages; Workplaces

Subjects: Collective labor agreements; Communications Workers of America.; Communities; Hospital and community.; Hospitals--Employees--Salaries, etc.; Labor unions--Strike benefits; Occupations.; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Kentucky; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: So when did you get into the Girl Scouts?

Segment Synopsis: Bevins talks about being the assistant troop leader of her daughter's Girl Scout troop.

Keywords: Assistant troop leaders; Boy Scouts; Daughters; Entertainment; Ermel Bevins; Games; Girl Scouts; Grapevine Elementary; Helpers; Kids; Parties; Sons; Troop leaders

Subjects: Childhood; Children; Communities.; Families; Recreation