Okay, I love my story, so I am going to tell! :-D
I was an oiler on the Washington State Ferries in 1981 during a labor dispute and shutdown. My watch partners and I got in trouble being over zealous with, shall we say…certain aspects of the vessel shutdown. Actually we were in a LOT of trouble.
The chief engineer, my boss, was married with two kids and a wife, the assistant engineer, the same. The other oiler had just closed on his first real estate deal. I was in my mid 20s, single with only a car payment. None could afford to lose a job, except...me. I hatched a plan to see if I could take the focus off the others on our watch.
First I tried my own union, but was pretty much just shut out…that’s when I began to realize just how much trouble we were in. Someone there told me that several law enforcement agencies were trying to locate all of us. The shutdown was media frenzy since it involved public transportation. Next I went to the engineer’s union, walked up to the counter and asked to meet with one of the union's officials. I expected some crotchety old guy to come out and lecture me because he was so busy, and because we had been so stupid, and OMG just because I was a girl! :shock: As luck would have it the “old guys” were out of the office. Instead here comes a young, good looking guy in a suit. Great, just great…I had been working all night during the shutdown, dirty from the engine room, grease under my nails and diesel still in my hair. Totally and completely embarrassing. :oops:
It was crazy busy in there yet he listened intently to my story, and of my concern for the engineers. During our conversation the secretary raced up practically gasping, “The Governor’s on the phone”. His eyes didn’t leave mine as he continued our conversation. The secretary, who had spent a long career in the office tapped her pencil urgently on the counter at him, “Tom! Governor Spellman is on the phone. Not staff, THE Governor!” Seemingly without a concern, still holding my gaze he said, “Alice, I’m talking to the lady, the Governor can hold.” And he did.
Five months later we were married.
Years later, DH left the union and actually works on the ferries now. He tells me that he still hears about our story passing through the engine rooms around the fleet, some 29 years later.
So, if you’ve stayed with me this long, you may be wondering besides getting the guy, how did all of our jobs fare. Well, we all got to keep our jobs, it wasn’t exactly an easy process, but it was another adventure.