Tom Lux oral history interview, November 20, 2013

Item — othertype: Oral History

Identifier: LuxT_L2013-20

Staff Only

Tom Lux oral history

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Scope and Contents

Interviewed by Traci Drummond. Lux starts by recalling growing up in suburbs of Buffalo, N.Y. His immediate family not involved in unions, however, his uncles were strong union members. Lux talks about starting college in Niagara Falls and transferring to Marquette University in Milwaukee. Lux recalls moving to Boston and then returning to Milwaukee, taking a job with A.L. Smith as a welder. Lux discusses attending Waukesha County Technical Institute, taking courses in safety and health. Lux recounts quitting his job and traveling around the country for three years before returning to Milwaukee. Lux talks about relocating to Seattle and working at Ederer Cranes where he joins the IAM. Lux discusses union politics at Ederer when local 79 was forced to join the district. Lux discusses his participation in Aerospace Joint Apprentice and Aerospace Machinists joint training committees. After he retired in 2011, he was worked on the Obama campaign in Ohio. He ends by talking about the importance of labor unions and recalls some of his mentors.

Dates

Creation: November 20, 2013

Creator

Lux, Tom (Interviewee, Person)

Restrictions on Access

Oral history available for research.

Biographical Note

Tom Lux was born in Buffalo, N.Y. in 1946. He started college at Niagara University, and then transferred to Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he was a philosophy major. While at Marquette, he became involved in the civil rights and antiwar movements. After graduation, he moved to Boston where he worked for an architectural firm before returning to Milwaukee to take a job with A.L. Smith as a welder. He relocated to Seattle to work for Ederer Cranes where he joined the IAM. Lux was hired at Boeing as an inspector and became involved with the local. He served on the District Council in 1997 and was involved in joint training and safety programs. Lux was on the Aerospace Joint Apprentice and; Aerospace Machinists joint training committees. He retired in 2011 and remains active working in Ohio for the Obama campaign as well as the Puget Sound Retirement Association. In 2012, he was appointed to Board of Trustees for Shoreline Community College.