Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

C.U.P.E. 2843

Date Range From

1975

Date Range To

1988

Materials

BRASS, CARDBOARD

No. Pieces

3

Height

1.2

Diameter

7.3

Description

1) PIN, NICKEL, WITH BLUE AND BLACK ENAMEL PAINT. TEXT AT CENTER READS, “CUPE, SCFP, 2843.” LOGO HAS TWO HANDS INTERLOCKED AT CENTER ON DIAGONAL OF NICKEL SQUARE. 2) TIN BUTTERFLY CLUTCH CLOSURE AT REVERSE. 3) CARDBOARD CIRCLE BETWEEN PIN AND CLOSURE. SQUARE UNION LOGO IN CENTER HAS NAVY BLUE TEXT THAT READS, “CUPE, SCFP.” AREA AROUND LOGO IS LIGHT BLUE WITH SILVER EDGE. REVERSE OF CARDBOARD IS WHITE AND UNPATTERNED.

Subjects

PERSONAL SYMBOL

CLOTHING-ACCESSORY

Historical Association

EDUCATION

ASSOCIATIONS

History

AT THE TIME OF DONATION, GALT STAFF CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH IRMA DOGTEROM. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS EXTRACTED FROM A LONGER NARRATIVE. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PIN, DOGTEROM RESPONDED BY SAYING, “CANADIAN UNION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, THIS CAME WITH WORKING IN THE SCHOOL. I DON’T REMEMBER EVER WEARING IT. [I RETIRED AS A LIBRARIAN IN] 1988. THE UNION THAT I BELONGED TO [WHEN I STARTED] AS A LIBRARIAN WAS NOT CUPE. IT WAS, SUPPORT STAFF FOR SCHOOLS, IT INCLUDED EVERYBODY THAT WORKED IN THE OFFICE ANY KIND OF JOB THAT WAS NOT A TEACHER. WE WERE HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE AND OF COURSE I GOT VOCAL AND MADE NOISES. WE WERE HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE BECAUSE THE BOY WHO SHOVELED SNOW AND CUT THE GRASS AT CITY HALL WAS BEING PAID MORE THAN WE WERE AND WE THOUGHT THIS WAS NOT VERY SENSIBLE, WE AT LEAST HAD TO HAVE SOME BRAINS INVOLVED SO WE CALLED A MEETING OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES AND ASKED THEM TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE A UNION AND ONE OF THE WOMEN THAT WAS AT THAT, I CAN’T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, SAID THAT SHE DIDN’T SEE WHY WE NEEDED A UNION FOR. THEY KNEW VERY WELL THEY GAVE THE TEACHERS WHAT THEY WANTED AND THEN THEY GAVE THE CARETAKERS WHAT THEY WANTED AND THEY GAVE US WHAT WAS LEFT OVER. I THOUGHT LADY YOU DON’T REALIZE HOW THAT SOUNDS AND IT DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WE MANAGED TO GET OUR WAGES MORE ON A CONTRACT BASIS AND IF SOMEBODY CAME TO WORK IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND MAYBE THEY HAD WORKED IN CALGARY BEFORE IN A SCHOOL DOING THE SAME JOB WOULDN’T HAVE TO STAY AT THE SIX MONTH SALARY THEY COULD START AT THE YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS GRADED FOR WHAT YOUR WAGES WERE. I STARTED WORKING IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION IN 1968, COULD HAVE BEEN AS LATE AS 75-76 WHEN WE STARTED ORGANIZING]. WE DID GET IT CHANGED AND IT DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE BUT I DON’T EVER REMEMBER WEARING THE BADGE. [THE TEACHERS] KNEW VERY WELL THAT WE NEVER MADE WHAT THEY DID AND THEY COULD SEE THAT WE WERE CERTAINLY WORTH MORE THAN THE BOY THAT CUT THE GRASS BECAUSE MOST OF US NO MATTER WHAT THEIR JOB [WAS] WHETHER OFFICE STAFF OR LIBRARY STAFF OR LUNCHROOM STAFF HAD RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WAS MORE THAN JUST CUTTING THE LAWN.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE. FOR PERSONAL HISTORY OF IRMA DOGTEROM, PLEASE SEE P20120004004.

Catalogue Number

P20120004007

Acquisition Date

2012-01

Collection

Museum

Less detail