Abernathy, Byron 1998-11-19
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General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Byron Abernathy
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: November 19, 1998
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: Daniel Sanchez
Length: 01:16:08
Abstract
Background, Left Texas Tech in the summer of 1957, Ended teaching career, Arbitrating, WWII worked with the National Labor Board, As a regional director in Dallas, Covered Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, Promoted to Vice Chairman of the regional board, 1943-1946 worked in the field of labor relations dealing with disputes, Ford ended December 31, 1945, Asked to serve as arbitrator in a local case, First case was January 16, Spent time as public member of the wage stabilization board of 6 members, Moved to Cleveland, Ohio to teach at Western Reserve University, Stayed one year until 1946 in the summer, Work circumstances were not very pleasant, Work was divided between campuses, No freeways at the time, Offered a job at Texas Tech, Offered job at the college in Denton, Arbitrators are given extra income, Bill Davis, head of the committee, Scheduled his classes so that he could have Tuesdays and Thursdays available for arbitration, Contract was abruptly terminated, Offered some research jobs, No one could make a living just arbitrating, Research and analysis association, Asked to go to Ohio as a consultant for the legislative state government, University of Kansas had foreign research, State constitution revision, Went to the University of Kansas, Wrote two books, One on constitutional revisions, Persistent questions concerning the state constitutional executive, Both were published, Jackie Kennedy created a committee to select books to go into the library, Selected on basis of significance in development of American life, Book was selected, Closed down the research business, Become exclusive to arbitrating, Specific cases, Transportation company and railroad workers, Chicago North Western Company, merger of 5 companies from the west close, Agreement that all employees will not be adversely affected by the merge, Burlington rule outlines all the rules protect employees, Negotiate on contract for protective agreement, Sole arbitrator for the company, 144 Cases in 20 years starting in 1959, Resigned in 1991, Interesting case, Union rep was unhappy with a decision made, Told them he would not be available anymore, Did not want to put up with bad behavior, 3 years later he was called, the company needed 15 cases to be heard, Abernathy agreed, One other arbitrator did 3 cases while Abernathy returned, Burlington Railroad asked Abernathy to be an arbitrator, but since Abernathy had just turned down Chicago, North Western, he didn’t see how he could possibly accept, Burlington Northern was very unhappy
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