Peggy Kennedy

Margaret “Peggy” Josephine Kennedy nee Reid (1921-2013) was born in Hyder, Alaska to American William Ronald Reid Sr., of Scottish-German descent, and Sophie Gladstone from the Kaadaas gaah Kiiguwaay, Raven/Wolf Clan [Haida]. Her father managed hotels in Alaska and Victoria. The family travelled between the two for a number of years before moving permanently to Canada when she was 11-years-old. In 1939, Peggy started two years of school at Victoria College, then moved to Vancouver to attend the University of British Columbia. In the third year of WWII she began to work at Boeing Aircraft sub-plant on Georgia Street as a stores clerk, then secretary to the foreman. Peggy became involved in the International Association of Machinists (IAM) as a rank and file member and began to write for the newspaper. She became a steward secretary for the union and editor of the paper. Peggy was married in 1945 to Melvin Kennedy (1908-1982) and had two children. She subsequently lived in England for ten years, received a PhD in Psychology from the University of London, and worked in public health in England and B.C. In later years Peggy made many trips to Haida Gwaii and was an active supporter of the artistic career of her brother, Bill Reid.

Audio Interview [1979]

Description

Kennedy describes her work at Boeing Aircraft and her involved in IAM; protesting the lack of rest periods with a sitdown that led to a lockout; women working in electrical sub-assembly but not as machinists; women receiving equal benefits and pay for the job but not receiving equal promotion; childcare problems; issues of raises, consultation on production and the abolition of supervision; layoffs of men and women following the war despite union efforts to shift the plant to consumer production through lobbies to Victoria and rallies.

Transcription

Full transcription: Kennedy, Peggy
Edited by Subject:Kennedy, Peggy (edited)

 

Title: [Peggy Kennedy – 1/2]

Creator: Diamond, Sara

Contributor: Kennedy, Peggy

Subject: Women–Employment–British Columbia ; Women labor union members–British Columbia ; Women–Employment–British Columbia–History–20th century

Date Created: 1979

Type: Audio recording

Genre: Interviews

Extent: 1 audio cassette

Format: audio/mp3

Language: English

Identifier: OBJ_639_sideA_01

Is Part Of: Sara Diamond fonds

Series: Women’s Labour History Project

Source: Original Format: Simon Fraser University Archives. Sara Diamond fonds

Rights: Media provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy or otherwise use of this media must be obtained from the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archives.

Title: [Peggy Kennedy – 2/2]

Creator: Diamond, Sara

Contributor: Kennedy, Peggy

Subject: Women–Employment–British Columbia ; Women labor union members–British Columbia ; Women–Employment–British Columbia–History–20th century

Date Created: 1979

Type: Audio recording

Genre: Interviews

Extent: 1 audio cassette

Format: audio/mp3

Language: English

Identifier: OBJ_639_sideB_01

Is Part Of: Sara Diamond fonds

Series: Women’s Labour History Project

Source: Original Format: Simon Fraser University Archives. Sara Diamond fonds

Rights: Media provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy or otherwise use of this media must be obtained from the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archives.