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Marge Dalskog talks about how she met her second husband during the IWA’s fight to leave the International (1946); writing and reporting for the Richmond Times and writing her column “Hold the Line, Please” for the union paper; life on Lulu Island in the 1940’s; how women reacted to the changes in the workplace post-war; how working women found childcare; disputes with the press during the 1946 International fight; reasons for the local IWA wanting to leave the US-based International; attacks on union organizers for their political beliefs.

Marge Dalskog talks about her husband Ernie’s work with the Woodworker’s Union of Canada around 1947 and subsequent blacklisting; her participation in the radio show “Five Minutes with Mona” (Mona Morgan); and why the Auxiliary was important to the union and the women who participated.

(Part 1) Marge Dalskog talks about her early married life as the only woman in a small logging camp with her first husband, a gas shovel operator; living out of a tent; walking four miles in a dress to have tea with the boss’ wife; her first experience of a logger’s death; lack of compensation for injury or death in non-unionized camps; daily life of mothers in the camps; (Part 2) Expectations of women by men; social relationships between the women; early attempts to unionize the camps; stories about her father’s fight for farmer’s rights in Saskatchewan during her childhood; joining the Women’s Auxiliary after moving to Lulu Island; the end of her marriage; (Part 3) How involvement in trade unionism and the Women’s Auxiliary benefitted women and bolstered their sense of self-worth; getting a job and raising her two children on her own in North Vancouver; becoming Secretary of the Council; her work in an umbrella factory and as the boss’ driver; women not being welcome at regular meetings with the men; impressions of the federal government while serving as a delegate to Ottawa; working at Boeing near the end of the war.

Mona Morgan discusses how she got involved with the labour movement, including details about her early life, the Great Depression, and her first jobs in Vancouver as a housekeeper and in the office of B.C. Plywoods. She talks about her firing from the mill, her involvement with the International Woodworkers of America (IWA), and the pushback people receive when they stand up for their rights. She talks about wages, hours, living conditions, and safety for housekeepers and mill employees.

Mona Morgan discusses the position of women in the union and the wood industry, and societal changes for women during and after World War II. She also discusses racism within the industry and the union.

Mona Morgan discusses her election to the executive of Local 107, the activities undertaken by Women’s Auxiliaries, the organization of social events, and recruitment techniques. She also discusses cultural differences between the past and present, the On to Ottawa trek, houswives organizing after the war, and red baiting.

Eileen Sufrin discusses changes in employment and the status of women from the prewar period, through World War II, and into the postwar period.

Eileen Sufrin discusses reasons for organizing, and attitudes towards unions during the war. She also discusses her personal reasons for becoming involved in the labour movement, her activity with the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, moving from Ontario to British Columbia, and factionalization within the labour movement.

Lil Godfrey discusses the Greenwall family history, including her family’s life in Extension and Wellington, mining communities near Nanaimo, BC. She talks about the effects of the 1912-1914 miner’s strike, the arrival of the militia, and the hardship on families. She mentions her father’s death in an explosion at the No. 5 Pit, Wellington Colliery in 1927. She also discusses the her teacher training, lack of jobs during the Great Depression, her marriage, and she and her husband’s move to Lake Cowichan for his logger job.

Mona Morgan discusses the Women’s Auxiliary, and the living conditions of women married to loggers. She also discusses the attitudes of men towards women’s organization, and the 1946 Strike.

June Olson and her husband, Nels Olson, discuss the Lake Cowichan logging industry and their families’ roles in it during the depression and war years. Nels gives an overview of the many companies that worked there including McDonald Murphy Logging. Tree felling safety issues are discussed.

Eileen Sufrin continues her discussion of factionalization within the labour movement, and the union’s involvement in women’s issues. She discusses the types of women in the workforce, and the differing needs of these groups (married women as opposed to single women, for example). Finally, she discusses white collar unionism and organizing department stores, touching upon her experience organizing Eatons in Toronto.

Lil Godfrey and June Olson discuss the various issues advocated for by the IWA Women’s Auxiliary, disaffiliation with the American union, and factionalization within the union. They also discuss pensions, red baiting, and their experiences with forming a co-op grocery and credit union in their community.

Mona Morgan discusses isolation amongst homemakers and the necessity of joint responsibility for the home. She also discusses women’s rights, including their inability to vote in civic elections. Finally, she discusses McCarthyism in the unions, and her experiences running for civic office.

Lil Godfrey & June Olson describe their childhood living conditions, including food and power shortages, and the work their mothers did to feed them, clothe them, and advocate for the community’s needs (for example, roads and healthcare). They describe their fathers’ experiences with logging work, including difficulties with the seasonal nature of the job, and the lack of unemployment insurance.

Lil Godfrey and June Olson continue discussing activities and issues taken up by the Women’s Auxiliary, including the types topics covered at educational meetings. They also talk about organizing between communities, how they became involved in the Auxiliary, the skills they learned through their involvement with the Auxiliary, and community events they helped organize.

Lil Godfrey and June Olson talk about family life at Lake Cowichan; their husbands’ extended stays in logging camps; bunk house living conditions; camp safety; reasons for forming the Ladies’ Auxiliary; and the role of families in the 1946 strike and the Victoria Trek.

Lil Godfrey and June Olson talk about the importance of the Auxiliary to each of them; the value of learning how to run a meeting; social activities like bazaars, dances, sports days, and quilting bees; some casual conversation that includes discussion about treatment of activist and blacklisted men.

Mona Morgan discusses activism amongst housewives after the war, and her personal experiences with social movements.

June Olson discusses safety in logging camps. She also discusses her father, her mother, and her childhood in Lake Cowichan.

Eileen Sufrin discusses women’s issues in unions, her experience as a woman being involved with union work. She also discusses her experiences organizing Eatons in Toronto, as well as the end of her labour career.

Lil Godfrey and June Olson discuss methods for organizing on the logging camps, the importance of active participation in unions, and the ways union participation has changed. They also discuss the types of work done by the Women’s Auxiliary, and the war effort. Finally, they discuss the 1946 Strike, the role of the Women’s Auxiliary within the strike, and media coverage of the strike.

Gladys Hilland discusses how she became involved in the union, methods for organizing, and men’s reactions to women in union organization.

Gladys Hilland discusses struggles over leadership within the International Woodworkers of America (IWA), the Canadian unions’ break with the international, the consequences of this break, and her own role within it. She also discusses federal legislation’s impact on union organizing, the No Strike Pledge, the war effort, and unionism as a political issue.

Emily Nuttall discusses her experiences in hotel & restaurant workers unions, her election to President of Local 676, working conditions, hostility towards feminism in the bartender’s unions, daily union work, the bravery and difficulty of union organizing, and the war effort.