''Woman's Worth''
″Heels″
''Super Hero's''
A Tribute too the Ladies, of Dyeing and Bleaching, and Squeeze Extractor,....Alice Barksdale, the first Woman, too operate a set of Dye Machines.....Beth Pruitt, the first Woman too Operate The Chemical Room, Dawn Wrenn the first Woman too operate the Jemco I Bleach Range, Mary Craddock, ″Missy″, the first Woman, too operate the Dyeline Control Room, Dorothy Miller, ″Dot″...the first Woman too operate the Squeeze Extractor, Tesha Little and Lisa Marsh, the first Women too operate Jemco II Bleach Range, Angie Harrison, continued too carry the baton, she operated a set of Dye Machines, until the Plant Closed........
''their was never a barrier just wasn’t a job, Ladies took, interest in, keep in mind these ladies dealt with some rough conditions, including bad tangles, bad, wheels on tubs, heat index, stubborn door hinges, bolts, carts, Men, and jealous folks, yep, I said it.''
......some envied these Women, and admired their determination and guts, .....none, came and quit, they only moved on too bigger and better, opportunities....″Dot″ however will walk away with the MVP Award......she was like no other Woman, I, have ever met in my Life, she no doubt, as, I’ve mentioned many times, she was ''The Beast''
'' she carried a pack of Winston’s rolled up in her sleeve of her T-shirt, yes, she did,''
....she managed the Extractor, like a Boss, she push and moved those weighted down 2000 pound tubs and slack trucks around like they were marbles, and if she had an issue, with the tub, and it was unloaded wrong by an operator on the Dyeline, she coming too confront the operator first, then she going too the Supervisor, she stood about 5′9 built like brick house, and didn’t smile often, she was all business, ...I could speak on each Woman, mentioned in this Tribute, because they were special in many ways, Remarkable Woman, taking on a Remarkable Task, that many Women, wouldn’t even attempt..
''.Thank You, all for coming through my Life''
″Wolves At The Gate’
You cannot, ....I repeat, ''you cannot,'' assign, a Beautiful, fine ass, College, Intern, too managing over a group of Wolves, on 3rd shift, and Management learned the ″hard way″, and had too right that wrong, .
'' too place a Lamb in the midst of Lions,''
..it was just a bad situation and it would have been for any Female, fine or not, these wolves, number one, had too much leisure time on their hands, however the job, was set-up, that way, once your machines are in the process of Dyeing, your time is idle, until the cycles end, this area, is 99.9% Men, all kind of Men, of all walks of Life, not Choir Boys.
It wasn’t like she was in any kind of danger, however, she had too wear her, sweater tied, around her, waist, the entire shift, keep them, wondering eyes off her.
″Boom Boom″
......''this is the ″Boom Boom″ Room, area, of blood thirsty vultures, ready too capture it’s Prey, a few ex-convicts, ..just kidding, but it was a bad Idea, to place a young, 21 year old, College Student , in this position, for 12 hours, from 7pm -7am, three and four days, straight, ...she was more than capable of doing the Job, however, this had to be, restructured,''
....it would take a more seasoned, Woman, not a Cinderella to take on these, Men, and manage this area, IMO, ...The Dyeline, as I’ve said before, is a whole new world of manufacturing, you dealing with, a group of Men, who, will rally and protest in a, Heartbeat, if their rights are violated, they have dangerous jobs as it is, they tackle and endure a lot of hazardous issues, Heat index, Steam, Corrosive Chemicals, this is a restricted area, anyway, and too lead in this area, it takes, someone, with some understanding of the process as well, as someone who, have been within the confinements of handling chaotic situations, foul mouthed Men, a few ″Thugs″,... and been around the block a few times, not a fresh out of College, Rookie, Man or Woman....and you have too be a ″Night Owl″ .
''Scrommer''
Had a friend, that was, ''gunho'', in everything, he had interest in, no matter what it was, once he got involved, and liked it, he went whole hog, he was devoted and dedicated too the, cause, he was overzealous, in many ways, learned this much about him, from, working with him, many years, 3rd shift, if he liked a Classic vehicle, he bought one and spent, thousands of dollars on it, too get it in Showcase condition, he spared no bars, or expense, ..... he loved, partying , and was a very energetic Guy, so, much of his conversation centered around his mom and dad, they were his neighbors, yes, he bought the house next door too his, parents, I’m telling you, this guy is genuine, he was a people person, always lively, love too laugh and have fun, he love the outdoors, year round, Crossbow , 4 wheelers, hunting, fishing, NASCAR, . weekend stock car racing ,he was on the pit crew staff, Stock Racing local circuit at Bowman Gray Stadium, ... and at the Plant, he worked his way up too Management, , and his head was too big for his shoulders, now for real, he loved his Job, he always wanted too be on top of the Production scale, and yes, he was, just that, by 7am, and at 8am, he reading his numbers in the staff meeting and smiling, and winking, at me, mumbling,
″Got em, Chuckie″.
...because that’s what he would say, after the meeting,
″that’ll hold they ass″, I’m the King, Dude'',
.....he loved too boast, I ,been knowing him for years, always been this, way, can’t stand losing, too anybody, ...as I was saying , this Dude, as they say ″Go Hard″ 12 solid hours, he pushing his production through the Plant, he also, had good rapport, with upper management, he was well liked for his ″Atta Boy″ drive and determination, he welcomed their admiration, more then anything, and he felt like he was under the Corporate Umbrella, invincible ,..expendable he took, advantage of the perks that came along with being in Management, he traveled overseas, once too the Honduras too visit one of ,our Plants, when he came back, from that trip, his head was so, big,
''no hat would fit,''
him, now, for real, he out of control, now, he bragged and bragged, all the time ,and the pictures he took, sealed, and confirmed, his Stories, he was a Character, at heart, as well, very likable and funny, and many times, I fed off his energy, on a rough night, with folks bad attitudes, ..we had lunch every, single night at, Your House Diner, his Aunt was the Chef, and she ran the dinner by herself 3rd Shift, .she made the best Omelette, ″Connie″...was quick, on the grill, she waited tables and cooked, and sometimes, we would frequent the Waffle House, 3am, in the morning, now back at work, he started, digging on this , new Intern,.....I know I know, y’all tired of hearing about ″Interns″.
Well this is the intern, I spoke of earlier, ...anyway, he became infatuated with her, she made it plain too him, she just wanna be friends, she was in management as well, she trying too land a permanent position in the company, she constantly, mentioned this too him, in my presence, and I, had conversations with him,
''Dude, move on''
... he just wouldn’t listen, then he was warned by upper management, after she filed a complaint, and Upper Management who, liked him a lot,, gave him a first and last warning,
''Dude, just wouldn’t, let it go, , and finally that was his, Demise, he was terminated for Harassment '',....he was my Buddy, who, couldn’t be reached or deterred,....all those years down, the Drain..
’Iron Pants″.
''Beth Pruitt''
Dye Machine Operator/Chemical Room Operator.....''listen, readers, you gotta understand the job, itself, too get the full affect of what it takes, for the average Man, too perform, operating Dye machines, just one by itself, is a challenge within, most operators, have no less than 2, these machines will make or break you, you gotta be, tough, aint no Crying in Dyeing,....suck it up, Princess.''
The area, itself, was intense heat, and wet, loud, 10-12, operators in the area, all geared for War,.....steel toed boots, face shield, respirator, goggles, aprons, insulated gloves, and a huge needle and a homemade knife,. a tape of test strips for PH, samples, .. the bag chemicals weigh, 50 pounds, and you have too lift these bags waist high, too the rim of the holding tank, slice and hold the bag at the same time, this has too be done, 15 to 20 times, depending on the formula, these non hazardous bag chemicals, were Sodium Bicarbonate, aka Soda Ash, Morton Salt, and back in the 70’s you lifted, 10,.....80 pound bags of crushed Ice, over the front of the dye beck and walk with it....10 times, ...this would be too much for most Women, most don’t choose too labor this way, it was rare too see, a Woman, in the Dye area,....although we had Women, like Alice Barkesdale, Beth Pruitt, Angie, Hairsion , Missy Craddock, ″Control Room Operator″...''
''However, ..Beth took, things too another level''
She not only operator of a set, of Dye machines, she signed up for the Chemical Room, position and was awarded it,....now, mind you, this Chemical Job, much harder than Dye Machine, in terms of dealing with hazardous corrosive chemicals, and handling 500 gallons steel, drums of chemicals, wrestling and manhandling drums from a pallet too a floor elevator chute, , this probably the most physical part of the job, other than lifting several, , buckets of caustic soda, chest high too bulk holding tanks for Bleach Ranges, and Pads, HQ ranges, this job requires multi-task and brute strength, Beth, wasn’t no joke, she worked hard and would cuss, yo, ass out, quick, lower your damn, voice when you talking too, Beth, ...that’s just my opinion...″she let you know she come too work, and be left alone, too do her Job....period''.
″On Top Of Things″.
Over the years.....’Women that I worked with that were
″In Charge″....aka, ''Running Things''
Many times they faced tough battles...and I labelled them,
″Women of Valor″
These were some strong Women,...handling all kind of Men, and Women, with behavior issues and slight, mental issues...however, they had no problem putting you in check...in
''conference or out on the floor,''
″you wanna go to jail, or you wanna go home″, kind of Managing.., no nonsense, at the least, actually, they were good at what they do,.........″Delores Brown ″RIP″.....Vickie Whicker ″RIP″.....Sonja Cooper, ..Bonnie Baldwin, Cynthia Taylor, Ginger Hutchins, Janie Kennedy, Tammie Brooks, Gail Couthen, Ginger Hailey, Ruth Martin, Jane Cook, Pat Moffit, Barbara Duggins, Ann Pack ,Sherry Glenn, Kaye Adams, Shelia West, Tonya Flynn, Amy Johnson, Catherine Raines, Mary Manring, Carla Creel, Edith Laws, Lorraine Little, Emma Cash, Teresa Reynolds, Linda Flynt, Laura Cherry, Sylvia Martin, Kwanis Inzar, Cheryl Hooker, Laura McHaurge, ..Pam West, Honorable Mention.
’Meetings″
Back in the days of old, Company staff meetings were often, ″looking like the Scotland Court Yard in London″ on a foggy day, small conference room, 45 minute meeting, every morning,... chain smokers, lighting a cigarette with a finished, cigarette, 4 or 5 smokers at a time, 8 in total attendance, many, that never smoked in their lives, struggling too breathe, struggling too see, whose speaking, struggling too concentrate on what all is being said, because of the irritating sting, too the eyes, second hand smoke..smelling like, wood burning, ...never liked seeing Women, smoke, I'm old fashion, it's just a bad look for a Woman, in my opinion, however these Women were warriors, cigarettes or not, they had what it takes too lead Men, like ''Deborah the Prophetess''.
''I Salute These Remarkable Ladies''
