Johnson, Mabel, interviewed by Hayden Van Dyke, 2006

Scope and content:

Describes her experience working in several poultry processing plants in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia for more than twenty years, primarily as a union steward for the United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) from 1977 until her retirement in 1986. Discusses her early childhood and family life and her election to shop steward, succeeding her husband, who held the post at the time of his death in 1977. Discusses the working conditions, wages and occupational hazards in the industry during those years and her commitment to ensuring worker's rights through organized labor unions. Recalls walk out strikes at several poultry plants in the Valley during the 1970s.

Access and use

Location of collection:
James Madison University
Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704
Carrier Library
James Madison University
880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Tiffany Cole
Phone: (540) 568-3444
Phone: (540) 568-3612
Fax: (540) 568-3405
Restrictions:

Open for research without restrictions.

Original audiovisual materials, as well as preservation and duplicating copies of physical media within this collection may not be played. Researchers must consult reformatted digital access copies. If access copies do not exist, researchers may request reformatting services for audiovisual materials within the collection. Contact library-special@jmu.edu for additional information.

Terms of access:

Interview content (audio and transcript) is designated as in the public domain per the donor agreement. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for determining copyright status and obtaining permissions for use rests solely with the user.

Parent restrictions:

Access to oral history interviews is governed by a deed of gift signed by the interviewer and narrator(s). Most interviews are open for research without restriction. In instances in which the narrator did not grant permission for full online access to recordings and transcripts, those restrictions are noted in a Conditions Governing Access note for each interview. In some instances, access to audio and transcripts is permissible only within the Special Collections reading room.

Pseudonyms are used when requested by the narrator.

Parent terms of access:
Interview content (audio and transcript) is designated as in the public domain per the donor agreement. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for determining copyright status and obtaining permissions for use rests solely with the user.

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