Labor Day: My Union Card-carrying Ancestors

I spent over 32 years working for the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) where I was a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union 1555. I began working there as a BART Train Operator and later became an Employee Development Specialist (EDS) where I taught new employees to be train operators. I retired in 2010.

My father, William J. Hork, worked most of his life for grocery stores that were unionized. He was initially in the Retail Clerks Union 1179 which later was renamed United Food & Commercial Workers Union. My father worked for LoRay, Ralphs, Bon Appetit, and Safeway. He retired in 1993.

My grandfather, Tom J. Johnston, worked as a carpenter most of his life. His last job was with the Contra Costa County Community College District and he worked at the Diablo Valley College (DVC) campus. I remember visiting him there once with my grandmother. He gave me a wooden tennis racket and frame. I loved playing with that racket.

Updated 4 Sep 2014. I found Tom Johnston's cards in his wallet.