Irene Stein Klalo spent the war years working for the General
Motors Eastern Aircraft plant in Linden, New Jersey. Despite plans to go to
college, the patriotic mood of the country encouraged her to
work for the war effort right after graduation. Her
parents were extremely active in union organization during
this time, and many factory workers joined the union as
well.
Her
time at the factory involved metal filing, stamping
machinery parts, working a drill press,
and packing rivets for
airplanes. The women who chose to work at these plants received little
or no formal training. Long, grueling hours, in addition to threats of sexual harassment, did not
always make
the experience a pleasant one, but making fighter planes
made the women feel
as if they were making a difference in the outcome of the war. Work at the factory continued
until the war ended and
the workers were immediately laid off. |
IRENE KLALO |
