Railroad Industrial Relations Project Oral History Interviews Audiorecordings

The Railroad Industrial Relations Project [RIRP] was established on July 1, 1969 in an agreement between the United Transportation Union [UTU] and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations [ILR], Cornell University. The purpose of the project was to document the formation of the UTU and the history of its predecessor brotherhoods. In addition to collecting the records of the UTU and its predecessor organizations, the RIRP conducted numerous oral histories with local and national officers of the UTU and its predecessor organizations. These interviews were collected between 1970 and 1971 in an effort to document the unification effort, the effect it had on members of the predecessor brotherhoods, and the everyday lives of railroad employees (these interviews may be located in Collection 6058).



To supplement this collection of oral histories, the RIRP decided to conduct additional oral histories with representatives of the railroad carriers in 1973. The RIRP reached out to the National Railway Labor Conference [NRLC] to arrange for this. The NRLC is the industrywide bargaining agent for the railroads. It was formed in 1962 with the merger of the regional Carriers' Conference Committees (Western, Eastern, and Southeastern) so that there would be one entity with which to negotiate. The RIRP interviewed three executives of the NRLC (Hiltz, Dempsey, Parks) to document management's perspective on the industry and labor relations.



The RIRP also reached out to a former president of the industry trade group, the Association of American Railroads (loomis), and the vice president of personnel for the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad (Oliver) to further broaden the documentation of management's perspective.



Three additional interviews with two UTU officers were also conducted in 1973, and they are included in this collection. The interview with H.E. Gilbert and his wife, Alice, and the interview of James Paddock by Miriam Freilicher provide biographical information about these two labor leaders. The second interview with Mr. Paddock focuses on alcoholism, substance abuse, and the ways in which these diseases may be fought within the railroad industry.