“Union meetings by this time [early 1950s – ed] had settled down quite a bit and everything was done by Robert’s Rules of Order, but once during a meeting I particularly remember, one guy was abusive. I told him that as long as I was president, there could be any amount of criticism, but nobody was allowed to abuse the chair like that. If we were demanding that workers no longer be abused by the boss, then we couldn’t abuse each other. I took it seriously that the Mine Mill Ritual says: ‘Speak kindly to one another and be careful to not unjustly criticize any member, nor attribute to him unworthy motives simply because he may differ with you. It is by honest difference of opinion that we arrive at sound conclusions and correct judgements.’
“So when this guy still wouldn’t stop, I adjourned the meeting for ten minutes so that I could take him out and educate him. Nobody in the room stirred — they knew what was going to happen. I took him out back, took his glasses off and whacked him one. Then I put his glasses back on, left him lying there and went back into the meeting. I knew he’d come in later and he did — came in and sat down and never bothered me again. His name was Kitch Bannatyne — one of the guys on our side, later a vice-president. But it was no big deal. Kitch knew he had it coming.”
– from _Red Bait! Struggles of a Mine Mill Local_ by Al King
Great quote – sounds like a great book!
