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Finding Aid of the Milwaukee Journal Stations Records > Subject Guide
American Motors Corporation (AMC)
1954 |
1959 | 1963 | 1966 |
1967 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971
Month/Day/Year: November 17, 1954
Segment Number: 6
Segment Description: The Milwaukee Newsreel.
George W. Romney, the new president and chair of the board of American Motors, visits the Nash plant
in Milwaukee. Plant manager John Weiland, Charles Wampler of Wisconsin
Telephone, and Richard Falk meet with Romney.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound. The
film has been transferred to videotape; see videotape # 23.
Month/Day/Year: 1959
Segment Number: 7
Segment Description: 1959 Year Ender. The American Motors
Corporation plants in Milwaukee and Kenosha doubled in production and a huge
expansion for the Rambler car production is planned.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound. The
film has been transferred to videotape; see videotape # 10.
Month/Day/Year: January 24, 1963
Segment Description: Special Assignment. Part one of a
two-part series. The
American Motors Corporation's distribution center in Milwaukee has become more
efficient with the use of an IBM 1401 computer to track parts. The
distribution center services all of the United States and Canada.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: January 25, 1963
Segment Description: Special Assignment. Part two of
a two-part series. A
further look at how the American Motors Corporation's distribution center uses
the IBM 1401 computer to increase its efficiency in distributing parts
throughout the country. Efficiency has increased by more than 40%.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: April 28, 1966
Segment Number: 3 & 4
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of the outside
of the American Motors Corporation plant. They are going to shut
down the assembly line for six weeks. Three unidentified men are interviewed
as to their reaction to the shut down. Most agree that the shutdown is longer
than usual. One man says it is like an unpaid vacation.
Notes: The film is black and white and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: August 2, 1966
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. An unidentified spokesman for
the American Motors Corporation says that hard-tops are outselling 4-door sedans
and that they want to let the public know that they have youthful designers
designing cars for younger drivers.
Notes: The film black and white and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: August 8, 1966
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. The American Motors
Corporation will start work on the
1967 model year. 4,733 workers were called back to the Kenosha plants and
3,800 returned to the Milwaukee body plant.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: September 11, 1966
Segment Number: 5
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of the
exterior of one of the American Motors Corporation's plants. Workers at the
American Motors vote against striking over the firing of Lester B. Rodems,
Jr., a union steward.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: September 21, 1966
Segment Number: 7
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of the
exterior of an American Motors Corporation plant. Herman Steffes, president
of United Auto Workers Local 75, says that the work stoppage has not been
authorized and urges members of the union to show up to work their shifts.
Notes: The film is black and white and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: September 21, 1966
Segment Number: 8
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of
the new 1967 Rambler Rebel, which was unveiled on this date.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: September 22, 1966
Segment Number: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Herman Steffes of union
Local 75 and
William Poupard, manager of the American Motors Corporation Milwaukee body
plant, discuss the problems they are having. They say that they come to an
agreement with management over a grievance, only to turn around and have it be
violated in a different department. Members of Local 75 at the
Milwaukee body plant want a meeting held immediately. Steffes says the
strikers have been out three or four days and he does not blame them for not
wanting to go back. Thousands of workers strike outside of the Milwaukee body
plant at 3880 North Richards Street. The work stoppage has caused layoffs at
the Kenosha plant. This is an unauthorized strike. Steffes claims that the
supervision of production workers has been so strict in the last several weeks
that it was like harassment. Poupard says procedures exist for solving any
grievances an employee might have against the company and that both the
company and the union are fully committed to following these procedures.
Steffes says if they do not get some redress at this meeting, he will ask for
a strike vote at this plant. He thinks it is unreasonable for workers to work
with seven or eight supervisors standing over them.
Notes: The film is black and white. Segments 1, 5, 8, and 9 have
sound. Segments 6 & 7 do not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: September 24, 1966
Segment Number: 2
Segment Description: Daily Footage. An unidentified man says
the picketing was illegal and union officers were to order their members back
to work at the American Motors Corporation. Footage of Judge O'Neill's
courtroom. This is the first case in Wisconsin in which an injunction has been
granted against striking workers.
Notes: The film is black and white and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: September 25, 1966
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of the
new 1967 model American Motors Rambler Rebel.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: October 4, 1966
Segment Number: 6
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of a new
1967 model American Motors Corporation car being driven. The interiors of two of
the cars are shown. Price increases ranging from $56 to $98 have been announced
by AMC for 1967 models.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: October 8, 1966
Segment Number: 8
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of
workers entering and leaving a building at the American Motors Corporation.
Members of United Auto Workers Local 75 are meeting at 3 p. m. at State
Fair Park to vote on a settlement of grievances.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: November 23, 1966
Segment Number: 3
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Herman Steffes reads
a letter from an employees of the American Motors Corporation that discusses safety
and labor relations. AMC will be laying off employees
in the Milwaukee and Kenosha plants.
Notes: The film is black and white and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: December 29, 1966
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage is shown of the
exterior of the American Motors Corporation's Milwaukee body plant. They will
shut down the Milwaukee and Kenosha body plants for 10 working days beginning
January 9, 1967.
Notes: The film is black and white and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: January 6, 1967
Segment Number: 4
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Workers are
interviewed outside the American Motors plant about the impending layoffs at
the company. Some workers are more positive than others about their futures.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: January 9, 1967
Segment Number: 2, 4, 5, & 7
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage of a sign
pointing to the "American Motors Project IV." Other signs read
"Vixen" and "Cavalier." Footage of a car. Robert B. Evans
talks about the growth period American Motors is going through. A man sits at
his desk and people stand in line at the unemployment compensation department
at American Motors. Workers talk about their struggles. American Motors
president Richard C. Thiel is interviewed. Robert B. Evans talks about how he,
like many other Americans, has a great interest in automobiles. He also talks
about his contribution to American Motors after resigning as board chairman.
Former American Motors workers stand in line at the Wisconsin State Employment
Service desk and fill out forms. Workers state their level of seniority and
whether they will return or not.
Notes: The film is color and black and white and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: January 12, 1967
Segment Number: 3 & 4
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage of a press
conference with three unidentified executives from the American Motors
Corporation discussing employment. One says that it should be expected that the
ex-employees will now find similar work in their areas but at
a reduction of pay. An unidentified man speaks on behalf of the state
unemployment compensation department and says laid off American Motors workers
should have only two weeks to seek jobs of similar work/pay before being taken
off unemployment compensation benefits.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: January 17, 1967
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. William V.
Luneburg speaks at a presentation on behalf of the American Motors Corporation. He says he
does not want to minimize the problems of American Motors and that the new
management is dealing with the problems of recognizing them, facing them, and
fixing them.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: January 23, 1967
Segment Number: 2
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage of people
returning to work at the American Motors Corporation after it was shut down for two weeks
because of lagging sales. People walk across the parking lot, along the
sidewalk, and into the building.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: April 7, 1967
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. In an interview, an
unidentified man from the American Motors Corporation discusses the conflict
of complying with certain standards and how the lack of communication with other
engineers can create a legal problem.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: May 10, 1967
Segment Number: 4
Segment Description: Daily Footage. William V. Luneburg
of the American Motors Corporation discusses the rubber lines and their impact
on the company. American Motors, he says, has no plan to phase out its larger car lines.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: May 12, 1967
Segment Number: 10 & 16
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage of an
American Motors Corporation car plant where a police car is being manufactured. People
watch and take pictures as the car is passed down the assembly line and tested
for quality. Mayor Henry Maier and the president of the plant are present.
Maier examines a model of the new police squad as finishing touches are made.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: May 25, 1967
Segment Number: 4 & 11
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage of the
municipal garage at 809 N. Broadway where sixty-one American Motors Corporation
Ambassador cars are parked after participating in a parade. The
cars are now part of the Milwaukee Police Department.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: June 12, 1967
Segment Number: 2 & 6
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Neil M. Schommer,
chief of Post Office Vehicle Services, presents
Milwaukee with 120 Ambassador Sedans from the American Motors Corporation for mail carrier
service employees. He describes the 4-door Ambassador car that will be used by
the post office for mail/package delivery.
Notes: The film is color; segment 2 does not have sound but segment
6 does.
Month/Day/Year: September 21, 1967
Segment Number: 1 & 5
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Roy Chapin, Jr.,
president of the American Motors Corporation, holds a press conference. Among the things he
talks about are how a work disruption would hurt the company, upcoming
negotiations with the United Auto Workers, and marketing to the
"non-average" customer. He says the new model year is vital,
especially the first ninety days. The American Motors Corporation has developed
programs to help them get off to a good start.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound. The film has been
transferred to videotape; see videotape #38.
Month/Day/Year: September 23, 1967
Segment Number: 3
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Roy Chaplin, Jr., president of
the American Motors Corporation, says a company must have a product program so
that they know what they are going to do four to five years down the road,
what segment of the market they will focus on, and where the industry will be.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound. The film
has been transferred to videotape; see videotape #39.
Month/Day/Year: October 1, 1967
Segment Number: 4 & 5
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage of American Motors
Corporation employees walking out of the Auditorium after voting on whether to
strike.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound. The film
has been transferred to videotape; see videotape #39.
Month/Day/Year: November 3, 1967
Segment Number: 2
Segment Description: Daily Footage. William Pickett of the American
Motors Corporation says the company needs to maintain a 4% sales rate to get by, but he
feels this is possible because the cars are beginning
to catch on and attract more customers.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: November 5, 1967
Segment Number: 4
Segment Description: Daily Footage. William Pickett of the American
Motors Corporation says the company has a new advertising agency which is making
commercials that people remember because of their humor and draws
attention to the AMC products without being boring.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: November 8, 1967
Segment Number: 2
Segment Description: Daily Footage. William Pickett of the American
Motors Corporation discusses the future of the company. He says the reasons
they had to restructure the price of the Ambassador Model was due to the addition of air conditioning
and promises the Javelin model will not be replaced.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: February 19, 1969
Segment Number: 2 & 7
Segment Description: Daily Footage. American Motors
Corporation president, Roy Chapin, Jr., speaks to the press. He says that American
Motors has adopted a different approach from competitors. Chapin says that
American Motors is a major factor in Wisconsin and that he is optimistic about
the future.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: May 1, 1969
Segment Number: 2
Segment Description: Daily Footage. American Motors
Corporation chairman, Roy Chapin Jr., appears at a sales rally for the 15th
anniversary of the company. The new Javelin is rolled out. Chapin says that
sales efforts will be concentrated in the lower end of the market.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: August 13, 1969
Segment Number: 5 & 6
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Rollout of the new
1970 American Motors Hornet. Governor Warren Knowles, wearing a racing jacket,
attends. Vice President of Sales William Pickett talks to a reporter about
the Hornet and the new market for smaller cars. Footage is shown of the
Hornet shown in several different colors, a close up of the Hornet logo, and
a hub cap. A green Hornet pulls out and drives along the road.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: August 19, 1969
Segment Number: 3 & 6
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Pat Greathouse,
vice president of the United Auto Workers union discusses ongoing negotiations
on contracts and benefits that are taking place with the American Motors
Corporation. Greathhouse and an unidentified man speak to the press about
their hopes for an economic agreement and getting benefits for American Motors
workers that are in line with the rest of the auto industry.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound. The film has been transferred to videotape; see videotape #52.
Month/Day/Year: October 16, 1969
Segment Number: 6
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Exterior view of an
American Motors plant. Striking workers picket outside of the building.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: October 23, 1969
Segment Number: 5
Segment Description: Daily Footage. A reporter describes
the state of the American Motors strike talks. He says that members of the
Kenosha union are meeting with negotiators. He also discusses how economic
factors, and rumors of American Motors takeover of Kaiser Jeep, will affect
talks.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: November 4, 1969
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Striking members of
the United Auto Workers union meet at the Auditorium to vote on a tentative
settlement with the American Motors Corporation. Exterior footage of the building
with people going inside.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: November 12, 1969
Segment Number: 7
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Striking American
Motors workers go in and out of a building, possibly to vote on a new
contract. Inside, signs read "Vote Yes". Ralph Daum, president of
Union Local 72 says that they have been lied to, and that they are going to
stick this out.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: November 14, 1969
Segment Number: 7
Segment Description: Daily Footage. An unidentified
union member says the recent vote was a vote of confidence for the bargaining
committee of Kenosha Local 72. Members should now get to vote on the economic
and working agreements that were recently negotiated with the American Motors
Corporation.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound. The film has
been transferred to videotape; see videotape #45.
Month/Day/Year: November 21, 1969
Segment Number: 1
Segment Description: Daily Footage. American Motors
Corporation workers approve the new contract ending the strike. Some will
return to work over the weekend to prepare the plants for Monday. There are
6,000 workers in Kenosha and 3,000 in Milwaukee. The strike has hurt American
Motors' position in the market.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: November 24, 1969
Segment Number: 6
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Footage of women
and men working on the assembly line in an American Motors Corporation plant.
Footage of new cars leaving the plant on a car hauler. The Kenosha and
Milwaukee plants have been closed since October 16 because of the strike.
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Month/Day/Year: January 14, 1970
Segment Number: 3
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Mayor Henry
Maier returns to Mitchell Field after a trip to Detroit where he met with
officials at the American Motors Corporation. Maier talks to the press about the meeting
and
mentions that the company wants to sponsor an event at the next Summerfest.
Notes: The film is color and does have sound.
Month/Day/Year: March 10, 1971
Segment Number: 2
Segment Description: Daily Footage. Autos are taken
on a carrier from the American Motors Corporation Milwaukee body plant
Notes: The film is color and does not have sound.
Comments or questions for the Archives? Send them to Ask an Archivist or call (414) 229-5402.
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