Oral History Interview: James Anness

This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mr. James Anness, born August 8, 1940, began working at Owens- Illinois, Inc. in 1960 in the shipping department. He performed a number of different jobs, obtained additional training and education, and eventually became a skilled laborer in the maintenance department. In this interview, Mr. Anness discusses the details of his work, the decline in working conditions and poor management-worker relations that came about in the later years of his employment. He attributes the tense atmosphere and relations to new plant owners and management changes from quality to quantity. Mr. Anness also talks at length about his family, friends he made at the plant, and the serious injuries he suffered while on the job.