Diane Fleming oral history interview, November 21, 2013

Item — othertype: Oral History

Identifier: FlemingD_L2013-23

Staff Only

Diane Fleming oral history interview

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Scope and Contents

Interviewed by Traci Drummond. Fleming starts by talking about her father’s death and what it was like to grow up in a small segregated Kentucky town. She discusses her mother and stepfather’s work background. Fleming talks about attending college in Knoxville and being involved in student activism. Fleming discusses being hired by United Airlines in 1963 as a reservationist and describes her duties as well as the limited benefits available at that time. Fleming discusses why union representation for the reservationists was important. Fleming recalls working at the city ticket office and explains the manual ticketing process before automation. Fleming talks about Steven Wolf and his attempt to merge United with US Air. She talks about her duties as shop steward. Fleming discusses her post retirement activities with the union, including about working on the 2012 Ohio Obama campaign. She ends the interview by discussing what she thinks are the most important aspects of union membership.

Dates

Creation: November 21, 2013

Creator

Fleming, Diane, 1942- (Interviewee, Person)

Restrictions on Access

Oral history available for research.

Biographical Note

Diane Fleming was born in Chicago in 1942. Her father died when she was two years old and the family relocated to a small town in Kentucky. She remembers growing up as an African American in a segregated environment and its effect on her. She attended college in Knoxville, where she became involved in sit-ins and other types of student activism. She was hired by United Airlines in 1963 as a reservationist. The reservationists sought and eventually got union representation in order to obtain better pay and benefits. She eventually worked at the United city ticket office. Fleming believed in the benefits of union and while at United, she held the position of shop steward. After her retirement, she continued to be active in the union, notably working on the 2012 Obama campaign in Ohio.