Sala Ponnech Oral History
Item
Title
Sala Ponnech Oral History
Identifier
2025.001.006
Type
Sound
Description
This interview details Sala Ponnech's involvement with union organizing efforts at UC Riverside in the 1970s and 1980s. As a young clerical worker, Sala became the chair of the local CSEA chapter, working closely with other activists like Lorraine Klein, Gladys Murphy, and Margaret Ellis. They faced challenges from management and competing unions like AFSCME, but were able to provide representation and support to many employees facing discipline or termination. However, the CSEA ultimately withdrew from the organizing effort, leaving AFSCME and other unions to compete for representation. Sala reflects on the power dynamics, gender dynamics, and political tensions that shaped the union organizing on campus during this period.
Subject
Activism
California Senate
Community Organizing
Economic Rights
Employment
Feminism
Labor Unions
Sexism
Social Justice
Solidarity
Women’s Rights
Worker’s Rights
University of California, Riverside
Women
Spatial Coverage
Riverside (Calif.)
Temporal Coverage
1970s-1980s
Creator
Sala Ponnech
Peyton Beeli
Date
4-08-2026
Contributor
People's History of the IE.
Format
.m4a
Language
eng
Rights
Duration
1:40:03