Dozens of Local 848 members have worked hard to preserve our union's history, and they are continuing today. Volunteers have been coming each Thursday at 10 AM to sort through the papers and other materials that members have donated. The first process is to put them into date order. Eventually, the most critical information is stored into the many scrapbooks that are stored in the cabinets in the union's auditorium. Valuable photographs are usually copied, then donated to the labor history archives at the University of Texas in Arlington.
Some historical materials are posted on this website. For another good labor history, click here.
Although our union local was originated at North American Aviation in 1943, our archives actually go back to the earliest days of the CIO. Recently, we have received word that we can expect a contribution of papers from Elnora Purcell, who was Shop Chairperson of our union when it was UAW Local 893 at Vought in 1949. She is, so far, the only woman to have held that position and, she points out proudly, the only woman ever re-elected Chairperson. Purcell was recently interviewed on KNON radio.
Rudy Garcia and Harrold Zoch helped put the Local's archives in order. Woody Dobbins was another outstanding volunteer