Bosses vs. floor ladies
Harris compares the role of a boss to that of the "floor lady," focusing particularly on her years working for the Red Heifer hosiery mill. In addition, Harris states and explains her preference for having male bosses.
Citing this Excerpt
Oral History Interview with Gladys Harris, August 8, 1979. Interview H-0124. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Full Text of the Excerpt
- PATTY DILLEY:
-
What's the difference between what a boss would do and what a floor lady
would do?
- GLADYS HARRIS:
-
A floor lady works, and a boss thinks they ain't supposed to do nothing
but boss. That's the best way I can put it. But she worked just like we
did. She just saw that the work got out and that was it.
- PATTY DILLEY:
-
I was thinking a floor lady was like a woman boss.
- GLADYS HARRIS:
-
It's not really, no. Where I'm at in the furniture place, I
have a woman for a boss. Then we have this girl who gives out our work and everything.
They's difference there. The one that gives out our work and all, she
can't tell us to go home unless the boss tells her. She can't
tell us anything unless she tells her to tell us. So that's the difference
in them.
- PATTY DILLEY:
-
Would you rather work under a woman boss?
- GLADYS HARRIS:
-
No, I'd rather have a man boss, really.
- PATTY DILLEY:
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What's the difference?
- GLADYS HARRIS:
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A man is more firm and distinct about it, and a woman is too partiality. Now
that's the difference. A woman has got her friends or her pets and
that's it. A man, I think, is more firm about anything that you really know
when he means it and when he don't. A woman, I don't know, they
just can't be as firm as a man can. I don't know why, but they
can't. I guess because I'm a woman, maybe that's it.
I don't think I'm supposed to have a woman
boss.