Baron Watkins oral history interview, July 5, 1995

Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Watkins discusses some of his personal background and then jumps into the topic of employers creating retirement programs after World War II. He says his experience in the labor movement began in 1942 when he joined the Bookbinders Union. By 1951 the workers of Follett Paper switched allegiance and became members of the Pressman’s Union. He talks about working for the Pressman’s International in the 1970s. Watkins believes the technological changes in the printing industry mean a loss of craftsmanship. On the need for consolidation of labor unions, Watkins says, “You can’t play one group against the other. So, yes, we need only one labor organization. That is all we needed. But we need to represent all working people.” He states his beliefs on the necessity of organizing labor and discusses the problems he and others faced in organizing Montag (Mead).