William Engler oral history interview, December 8, 2011

Interviewed by Rachel Bernstein. Engler discusses growing up in an ethnically German household in a European immigrant neighborhood. He recalls how his parents expectation was going to work not college. He remembers his first job out of high school as a lab tech with a company that made springs. Engler recalls moving to the National Tea Company, which was organized by the Teamsters and reflects on the differences between the Teamsters and the IAMAW. Engler discusses joining the IAMAW in 1966 while working for United Airlines in Chicago. He remembers the demographic make up of his department and how that began to change over the years. Engler talks about his work for the IAMAW as financial secretary of his local, auditor, and assistant secretary. He reflects on politics within the IAMAW and with the MNPL. Engler describes being a delegate at the national convention for the union. Then he recalls meeting with various IAMAW presidents and well-known political figures over the years. Engler discusses his role in planning the 1985 IAMAW convention. He talks about becoming the assisant secretary in 1989, as well as working for the guide dogs program. Engler recalls his wife's working career and her own union membership with the Retail Clerks and United Food Commercial Workers. He then discusses his children's lives and careers. Engler recalls the effect of 9/11 on air travel and on especially older members of the union, some of whom stopped traveling by air. He wraps up reflecting on retired from the IAMAW in 2001. Engler talks about his post-retirement live, including helping to build the Arizona branch of the Alliance for Retired Americans, and discusses other kinds of activism going on in Arizona, such as an Occupy camp and the cross over between his group and theirs. He also talks about working with the Guide Dogs program.