Bob Eichhorst Oral History Interview

Bob Eichhorst heralds from a Union family. His grandfather and father worked as Union carpenters, and his sons, wife and daughter belong to a Union.  Eichhorst shares his work experience starting with his apprenticeship and licensing in UA Local 412 (United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 412) in 1972 through to retirement in 2014.  During his 42 years on the job, he worked on major construction projects including Intel in Rio Rancho and the Sandia Base. Eichhorst has been teaching in the UA 412 Apprenticeship Program for 20 years, and he provides a strong case for the value of Union training and workplace safety. Eichhorst also  reflects on the legislative challenge of yearly "Right to Work" legislation in New Mexico.

The Working People's History of New Mexico Project (WPHNM) is an oral labor history project created to gather the labor stories of working people in New Mexico. While part of the interviews focus on the specific jobs that the interviewees performed, the interviews also explore labor-management relations as well as union, workers council, and social activism participation.  The interviews contain information about family and social relationships and offer themes of social and historical interest in New Mexico and the US.