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Budilovsky, Agnes (audio interview #1 of 1)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION</ - The first two interviews with Agnes Budilovksy were conducted jointly with Rose Falk; this is the first one conducted solely with Agnes. Like the other interviews, it was recorded at the ACWA union hall as part of a project on women in the union, particularly on those who were involved with the Chicago Women's Local. It was conducted by Kris Feichtinger, in cooperation with the Feminist History Research Project. Fall 1974
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- 2019-09-26
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- SUBJECT BIO</ - Agnes Budilovsky, ACWA activist in Chicago, was raised in a Polish neighborhood, where her family owned their own home and a tavern. She went to work when she was fourteen. Her sisters were already in the union and she had no hesitancy joining the 1915 strike and organizing. In the 1920s, she was elected as a Delegate to the National Conventions of ACWA. After she married in 1916 or 1917, she continued to work up until the sixth month of each of her two pregnancies. She was working in a small neighborhood shop at the time and given time off to go home to breast feed. After her husband's work accident in 1919, she became the sole support of the family until he eventually opened a tavern. Budilovsky remained extremely active in the union and engaged in their political organizing activities as well. Although she never joined the Women's Local (275), she was a tireless worker for it and praised the work it did on behalf of women. TOPICS</ - family background; mother; neighborhoods; husband; family history; economic status; ACWA strikes, picketing, and organizing campaigns; Chicago garment industry; gender discrimination in worker's compensation payments; Banner & Progress; working conditions; and ACWA politics
- File: lhgwabudilovsky1.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-1:31)... Budilovsky's mother was born and raised in a small village that was controlled alternately by Poland and Germany. As a result, the school that she attended taught students both Polish and German. She immigrated to the US at a young age and married Budilovsky's father at St. Stanislaus Church in Chicago. They had eight children, all of whom were baptized and educated at St. Stanislaus. Budilovsky's recollection of her father is limited because he died when he was eight years old. She believes he was a merchant marine. (1:31-3:22)... When Budilovky's parents arrived in the US, they settled in the "old neighborhood," a Polish settlement located near Milwaukee and Ashland. Her parents purchased a small home where Budilovsky was born and raised. Her parents owned a tavern on the same block as their home. When her father died, the tavern passed to one of her brothers and remained in the family for many years. (3:22-6:55)... Budilovsky was born on May 3, 1899 and began working a day after she turned fourteen. She had some experience sewing because her mother brought work home from the shop and finished pant cuffs and pant linings. The neighborhood had a lot of small contracting tailor shops. When the union began organizing clothing workers in Chicago, these smaller shops declined. Budilovsky eventually moved to another shop located across the alley from her family's tavern. During this period, she married and gave birth to two children. She worked until she was about six months pregnant during both pregnancies. After giving birth, the shop permitted her to go home three times a day to breast feed her children. When her husband lost his right hand and three fingers on his left hand, his employment was unstable. However, because of her family's political activity and popularity in the community, he worked odd jobs. At that time, Budilovsky's income supported the family. (6:55-9:27)... When Budilovsky's father died, her mother was left to support three children under the age of thirteen. Her older son returned home from the Navy and because he died within thirty days of the end of his service, she received a pension of $28 a month. Two of Budilovsky's older sisters worked in the garment industry. Eventually, Budilovsky's brother went to work and his income, her mother's pension, and assistance from other family members supported the family. Her mother eventually went to work in a tailor shop because times were difficult. (9:27-12:49)... Budilovsky talks about the 1915 organizing drive in Chicago. Although she left the shop and went out on strike, her employers and union organizers confirmed that the contracting shop in which she worked could not be organized until Banner & Progress joined the union. She was told to return to work and "spread the gospel" about the union. When Banner & Progress was organized, Business Agents came to the shop and told workers to immediately go to the union headquarters and join the union. She remembers parading down the street with her co-workers to the union headquarters located on North and Damon. She paid .90 cents to join the union. Her older sisters were already members of Local 39 and Local 152, respectively. (12:49-13:36)... Budilovsky and her sisters began working in the garment industry because Chicago was known as the "capital" of the [men's] clothing industry. The city had a great number of both large clothing manufacturers and small contracting shops and the work was readily available for the residents living in the area. (13:36-15:46)... Budilovsky discusses the ACWA's progress in providing worker's compensation benefits to its members. On more than one occasion, she initiated debates among the members of the Joint Board regarding the inequitable payments some women received even though they contributed the same amount to the fund as their male counterparts. The persistent argument presented by the men on the Joint Board was that women received less compensation because they were sick more often. (15:46-17:21)... Budilovsky worked at a small contracting shop until Banner & Progress purchased the shop. When Banner & Progress split, she continued to work for Banner and became a chairlady in the shop. During the early years of the Depression, Banner was purchased by Progress and the company moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Except for her first job at a small shop making coats, Budilovsky worked as a pantsmaker for the rest of her career. (17:21-18:28)... In her spare time, Budilovsky did political work that included canvassing neighborhoods and visiting people in their homes. When her husband opened a tavern she helped him with this business. She continued to work steadily in the garment industry unless work was slow. She raised her two children and cared for her ailing mother. (18:28-19:41)... Budilovsky describes herself as a tomboy who did not have any ideas about what she wanted to do with her life. She was tough and wanted to stay that way. She met her husband in the neighborhood and they married when she was seventeen. They both worked and were able to support themselves very well until her husband lost his hands. While she was working or whenever she was out of town on organizing or political campaigns her mother took care of her children. (19:41-23:53)... Budilovsky devoted a large amount of time to the ACWA, which frequently caused friction with her husband. However, she was "union at heart and couldn't give it up." Among other activities, she was involved in the political power struggles that took place in the union. She talks about the tension between the union headquarters located on the north and west sides and the competition between business agents during elections. (23:53-27:59)... Following her husband's injury in 1919, Budilovsky's involvement in organizing campaigns and strikes increased. Working the picket lines was tough and fights between scabs and picketers were a regular occurrence. On several occasions, Budilovsky was placed on the "paddy wagon" but was never jailed. During organizing campaigns, she told people about the benefits and job security they would gain if they joined the union. End of tape.
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