Steve Yianakis

Interview, April 21, 2006

MR. BARRY:

It is Friday, April 21st, 2006. Steve, tell us a little bit about where you grew up.

MR. YIANAKIS:

I come in the United States in 1947, November 1947 from Greece . Come to Baltimore , I live here in Highlandtown.

MR. BARRY:

Where were you living in Greece ?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Islands of Chios . That's a beautiful island, and from Chios come here. In the beginning when I come in, I was working in the restaurant for a few years, and '55, 1955 I started working down at Point, down at Sparrows Point.

MR. BARRY:

How old were you then?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Oh, I was about 22, 23 years of age.

MR. BARRY:

Why did you come to the United States?

MR. YIANAKIS:

I come in to United States to get better myself, you know, because we have the war, the second war, and you know everybody -- you know it was poor, you know. I don't have no job, everybody was pretty bad, so I come in here so I can get better myself.

MR. BARRY:

What made you go to work at Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well --

MR. BARRY:

Money?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Money, and lot of friends, lot of friends who was working at the Point, in Sparrows Point, and he told me Sparrows Point get good money, better than the restaurant. I remember I make it in the restaurant five dollars a week when I come in 1947 and I worked seven days in the restaurant. So I started working at Sparrows Point and I'm making better money, and that's why I joined the Point, the Sparrows Point. I worked 22 years in the Sparrows Point and six months.

MR. BARRY:

What was it like your first day at Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, just like anything else. In the first day, you know, everybody was working, I mean everybody was friend to me, and it was pretty good. I mean the foremen, the superintendents, everybody, it pretty good.

MR. BARRY:

Was it a big place?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yeah, it was a big place. They call them 56 hot strip, you make the steel, you put them in the furnace, and it come out and you put them under the rolls and you make the tin, big rolls. I was working and I put the bend in the roll and it would go on the conveyor. Every five, every ten minutes one big roll come out and I have to put the bend. It was pretty hard, but I had relief for 15, 20 minutes, you know, somebody else take my job and come back again. And I remember lot of guys from Highlandtown was working in the Sparrows Point, because Sparrows Point you had a lot of departments. It was the tin mill, it was the hot strip, it was a lot of places, you know. And I remember exactly when I started at Sparrows Point it was working about 47,000 people. I believe from Highlandtown, the most people live in Highlandtown working in the Sparrows Point because I meet fill-ins (?), I meet Italian people, Greek people, all kind people. So all these years since I come in the United States I live on this place, in Highlandtown since 1947.

MR. BARRY:

How did you get to Highlandtown? Did you have family here?

MR. YIANAKIS:

I had a cousin, he live in Highlandtown in Parker Street , 700 block in Parker Street, and I would stay with him. About maybe five, ten years I was living with him, and after I was living by myself. I was a bachelor all these years, and six years I got married. This is my wife, Athena, and we enjoy.

MR. BARRY:

How did you get to work? Did you take the street car, the Red Rocket?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes, I ride with the street car. In the beginning it was the street car, and after they removed the street car and put the buses and I remember exactly I catch the bus right on Packer Street, number ten, and go all the way to the Sparrows Point, and I never missed one day. One I quit, my superintendent come here and he asked me why I quit because I was enjoying in the business, this is my place, I had about 25 years to go, I bought them, and I figure, you know, I don't want to work down at the Point if I run this kind of business, and my superintendent, he like me and he come a couple of times here and he asked me why you quit, I said I can't work in two jobs. He say you can take a furlough, we will give you a furlough, and you don't have to lose all your time because I had a 26 years in the Point.

MR. BARRY:

And at that time you could retire with 30 years?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I retire, but to be honest with you I never get no pension from the Sparrows Point because I quit myself, and at that time you had some type of agreement with the company with the union and I don't get advice from the union and I lost all my seniority.

MR. BARRY:

Well, that's too bad.

MR. YIANAKIS:

I know, I know. All these years I have been working down there, you know I was expecting to get something from the company, you know, but I never get a penny from the company.

MR. BARRY:

Well, when you started in the hot strip mill, what else did do you, what other kind of jobs down there?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, everybody had a post, some people it was put a bend in the steel, you know, some people it was working in different places. My job it was a permanent for eight hours just to put the bends in the coil of the steel. That's my job.

MR. BARRY:

How long did you do that?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Maybe ten years. After then I was working on the shears, cut the tin on different sizes on it. You had a big pile of steel, and two people, me and another people, they put them on the shears and cut them off.

MR. BARRY:

Was that a better job?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, it was a better job. It was not too hot like the furnace, because in the beginning I would start to put the bends in the coil, it was too hot. It was right on the furnace and it was very, very hot, especially in the summertime.

MR. BARRY:

Well, did you work shift work?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes, yes. That's 8:00 to 4:00, 4:00 to 12:00 and 12:00 to 8:00.

MR. BARRY:

What was it like working shift work?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I always like the daylight, daytime shift, and midnight, it was pretty rough. I mean you know -- not the job, but it take long to get daylight. That's the way you know I was feeling.

MR. BARRY:

Well, when you were off work, was there a community of steel workers around this area in Highlandtown?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes. When I quit the Point, I was start on this kind of business. In the beginning when I bought this place, it was the drugstore and I have it for awhile as a drugstore and selling a lot of American things on it, school supplies, pet medicines, things like them. After then, I put all Greek things, music and gifts and things, and also I was having the radio, Greek radio station for 49 years. But then last April, last April it was the session it was closed and I had it for 49 years the radio station, WBMD every Sunday 1:00 to 2:00 in the afternoon.

MR. BARRY:

Did you do that while you were working at Sparrows Point also?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes.

MR. BARRY:

What was that like?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I was enjoying myself.

MR. BARRY:

What was the radio program like; Music or news?

MR. YIANAKIS:

The radio program advertise a lot of places, business, play music and bringing news of the community and news from Greece every Sunday.

MR. BARRY:

Was there a large Greek population, immigrant population at Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes.

MR. BARRY:

Did you all work together or ride together?

MR. YIANAKIS:

We have a lot of Greek population. From 1952 to '59, a lot of Greek people come from Greece . In fact, this place over here, the Highlandtown, it was 90 percent Greek people. Every place you go you meet one Greek people. It was a lot of stores, lot of groceries, almost -- it was a Greek place. That's why you call them Greek town they call it right now.

MR. BARRY:

So would you often ride the street car and the bus together, all of you?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yeah. Well, some had cars, some of it you ride the buses. The reason I never drive the car, I ride the bus and I was living here and I don't have to walk too long, so it was a convenience for me to ride the bus than to have a car.

MR. BARRY:

Well, we talked about when you started work there in 1955. You then had to go through the 1959 strike?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes. We have a big strike in 1959, which was almost three months, and of course I don't do nothing on it. I had a lot of money in the bank and it hold me. After three months you know we come back to work and everything be normal again.

MR. BARRY:

Do you remember any of the issues in the strike?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, it was quiet strike. I was in the line.

MR. BARRY:

What was that like, picketing?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Picketing outside the Point?

MR. BARRY:

Hmm-hmm.

MR. YIANAKIS:

Outside the Sparrows Point?

MR. BARRY:

Yeah.

MR. YIANAKIS:

We don't let nobody go inside, we watch them. Nobody go inside, except we let them go, the foremen and the superintendents, not working men. We stay up there on different places four, five guys, you know, and the president from the union, you know, representative, he bring us sandwiches, coffee, things like them.

MR. BARRY:

You don't remember who the president was then?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, I don't. I don't. I remember one Greek guy, his name Chris Lucas from Weirton , he was the president for a long time in the Sparrows Point.

MR. BARRY:

Did you ever know him?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes.

MR. BARRY:

Because I have a friend who is trying to get some information about where --

MR. YIANAKIS:

I know Chris Lucas very well, and also his brother, he was working with the GMC, his brother, and also he was the president of the union over there, too.

MR. BARRY:

What was Chris Lucas like?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Chris Lucas, he was a good man, he was good for us, he was good for the union.

MR. BARRY:

Did he live in Greek town?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, he is not living in Greek town, but he had relatives who lived on the same block I was living in the 600 block on Parker Street , had relatives up there, cousins. Chris, I think he live a little further from Highlandtown, a suburb, but I see him -- he used to be in the community, used to be president in the community, too. When we started to build up the Greek church, he was the president. He was very active in the community.

MR. BARRY:

Even though he didn't live here?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes.

MR. BARRY:

Did he ever talk to you about why they left Weirton ?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, he lived in Weirton to come to working here in the Sparrows Point for I guess for a better job. He was a very educated man because he was president for a long time, and I remember all the people liked him. He was a very smart guy and a very good man, too.

MR. BARRY:

Is he still alive?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, he died. He died.

MR. BARRY:

I wonder if he has any children around.

MR. YIANAKIS:

I don't remember. I don't remember if he had children, but I know him very well, very well.

MR. BARRY:

So what was the strike you just -- do you remember what the issues were in the strike or what was --

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, just like every strike, I mean it was better benefits, better money, things like that. Of course every strike you can't get everything. You get some, but a lot of people told me it was the long strike in Maryland in Baltimore . It was the 1959, the long strike.

MR. BARRY:

That was the longest strike?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes.

MR. BARRY:

Were you ever laid off from Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes, I was laid off a few times for a week, a month, and he called me back again, yes.

MR. BARRY:

Were you ever at all involved in the union? Did you ever go to union meetings?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes. Every time you had a meeting at the union he notify us. The local was over here on Dundalk Avenue .

MR. BARRY:

Which local were you?

MR. YIANAKIS:

The United Steel.

MR. BARRY:

Do you remember 2609 or 2610?

MR. YIANAKIS:

I think it's 26.

MR. BARRY:

26, all right. Did you ever participate in any union activities?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No. I never be as an officer or anything like them.

MR. BARRY:

During the 1950's there were some controversial areas which you may have heard about. There was in the 1956 and '57 questions about Communism in the local and in the plant. Were you ever familiar with that at all?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No.

MR. BARRY:

Nothing involving any of the guys there?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No.

MR. BARRY:

And then in the late '60s or early '70s there was questions about black steel workers and changing the contract and stuff. Were you aware of that at all?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I mean it was -- I remember when I started it was separated, the toilet, white people and colored people, but after you join all together, colored people and white people go on the same, you know, place.

MR. BARRY:

How did you feel about that?

MR. YIANAKIS:

It was pretty good. I mean it don't -- nobody bothered me, everybody was friendly and everybody you call a brother, each one.

MR. BARRY:

Did you ever have any experience with women working down there?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, not in the place. You had women working in the office, not on the steel.

MR. BARRY:

Because there was a woman who's a Greek woman named Eddy Papadakis, her family worked down there. Did you ever know her?

MR. YIANAKIS:

I know a man Papadakis, I know a man, but he worked on different place, not on the hot strip one I was working. He died a long time ago. He used to live in Umber Street , his name Papadakis, but he was not in my department. He was far away from me, the place he worked.

MR. BARRY:

So you never knew that he had a daughter?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, I don't.

MR. BARRY:

Because she had worked down there, her uncle worked there and her father worked there, and she was one of the first women. She's probably in her late '50s. She has been there for 30 some years.

MR. YIANAKIS:

It's a lot of people. Of course I don't know everybody, but I do know a lot of Greek people like I say before who was working up there 35, 40 years in the Sparrows Point. I know a guy from Edgemere who is named Nick Moschus, he was working a long time. In fact, he was one of the first man that started working up in Sparrows Point.

MR. BARRY:

Well, when you were in Greece , did anybody ever come back and say there are jobs in the steel industry?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No.

MR. BARRY:

It was just you get to the United States and come to Baltimore and then kind of see what happened?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes. From Greece , come in to Baltimore , yes, and this is the only place I have been living since 1947, the same neighbor over here and almost the same house I live in since 1950.

MR. BARRY:

And have you seen then in the time that you worked at Sparrows Point the Greek people move out of the community?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, a lot of them of course move from here from this community, some went back to Greece , some of them die. The young generation go to the suburb, but we still a lot of community -- I mean a lot of people here on this community. We still got a lot.

MR. BARRY:

Anybody else around here who is retired from Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

I used to know a lot of people, but everybody die.

MR. BARRY:

I guess the question is if you had to do it again, would you work at Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Of course. I was happy. I mean I was -- of course. I don't get no pension from Sparrows Point, but I had a good job, and I was liking my job. I never missing a date. I never missing -- I mean I was a steady man up there, and the foreman, he was dependable on me.

MR. BARRY:

Did you work a lot of overtime if it was available?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, to be honest with you I never asked for overtime. A lot of people worked overtime. I know guys that worked 16 hours straight, but to me I never asked for overtime because I was a single man, and I don't want to make more.

MR. BARRY:

And you were basically making a decent living?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes.

MR. BARRY:

Well, when you were working down there, what did you do in the community? Were there clubs that the steel workers all went to or restaurants? Tell us a little bit about the Greek community that the Sparrows Point people --

MR. YIANAKIS:

The people working down at Sparrows Point when they was off from Sparrows Point live over here. Some of them go to the coffee house, stay for awhile. Some go to the Greek restaurants and pass the time.

MR. BARRY:

Was Greek town then open 24 hours a day?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes, some of them. I remember the next block they call them Tacoma restaurant, now it is the Ikaros Restaurant. That place, it was open 24 hours a day, Tacoma restaurant, and a lot of places over here.

MR. BARRY:

And there was a bus stop right in front of it?

MR. YIANAKIS:

A little bit up right on the corner. I remember since I come in always I remember the bus stop up there.

MR. BARRY:

So people could take the bus home?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Take a bus.

MR. BARRY:

Come right in and eat, drink or whatever they wanted to do?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes.

MR. BARRY:

Because there was a whole community when Sparrows Point was much bigger of clubs and bars all down on North Point Road .

MR. YIANAKIS:

Oh, yes. It had a lot of place down there on North Point. We stop in North Point, we cash the checks up there and a lot of people stop over there and they cash the checks and drink a beer, you know, eat hot dogs and things like that.

MR. BARRY:

Did you ever do that?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Once in awhile. I would stop once in awhile with friends.

MR. BARRY:

And then come up here?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Every time I have a ride because the bus don't go to that North Point. It would go to the different place, but every time I have a ride, if some friend of mine, he bring me here in Highlandtown, we stop up there and we cash the check, we drink a beer, eat a hot dog and come back.

MR. BARRY:

Have you followed Bethlehem Steel in the last few years, the bankruptcy at all?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No.

MR. BARRY:

Because a lot of the people blame the steel workers for the problems that the company had.

MR. YIANAKIS:

I know. I don't blame -- I mean of course right now I don't know how many people work up at there in Sparrows Point. Somebody told me not more than a couple thousand people.

MR. BARRY:

That's exactly right.

MR. YIANAKIS:

And you compare the number I was giving to you in the beginning, 37,000, that's a lot of people.

MR. BARRY:

Yes, it is.

MR. YIANAKIS:

Now, who I blame? I don't. I don't.

MR. BARRY:

What was it like going to work with 37,000 people, parking lots and lunch rooms?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, it had a big parking lot, had a big parking lot, and in the morning when you change the shifts you see a lot of people back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. That's three shifts like I say before, 8:00 to 4:00, 4:00 to 12:00 and 12:00 to 8:00.

MR. BARRY:

So you pretty much stayed in the hot strip mill all your --

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes. I was started in the hot strip and I was quit from the hot strip.

MR. BARRY:

How did you get to the hot strip mill? Did you know --

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I was work -- because the bus don't go inside to the plant, it was from here I say to that Eastern Avenue under the pass.

MR. BARRY:

Well, how did you get the job in the hot strip mill?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, a friend of mine take me up there, friend of mine told me. He was working up there, and he take me to the Sparrows Point and we fill out the applications, and I take an examination and he told me you can start working tomorrow if you want to. That particular time, they was hiring a lot of people, and he told me, he say this is the best time for you to come in.

MR. BARRY:

How was your English at that time?

MR. YIANAKIS:

It was broke, not very well, not very well.

MR. BARRY:

And the company didn't care?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, the company don't care.

MR. BARRY:

Were there people around who could translate for you?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I mean yes, of course. I mean the job he give it to me, it was a simple job, you know, just to put the bend. You know you don't write anything or you don't need a very high educate to do that kind of job.

MR. BARRY:

And so it was a great opportunity for a lot of people?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Sure, it was a great opportunity. Of course, yes.

MR. BARRY:

Is it too bad that the jobs like that are not around any more, you know for --

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I mean of course. I don't know what's happening to all these people, I mean what happened. Of course like I told you before look some of them retire, some of them die, but it was a good thing, the Sparrows Point, to have a lot of people to work up there. It was one of the best place.

MR. BARRY:

Did you then have friends that you brought down to work there?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Oh, yes.

MR. BARRY:

And you all would come together?

MR. YIANAKIS:

All come together, go together.

MR. BARRY:

Eat lunch together?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Lunch, the same, yeah, sit down together, we eat lunch together, yes.

MR. BARRY:

And when you were at work, did you speak Greek or English with your friends?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, if it was American, I would say a few words in American. If it was a Greek, we speak a Greek language.

MR. BARRY:

And while you were working there, did you ever go back to Greece , travel?

MR. YIANAKIS:

I was back to Greece two times since I come in here in the United States .

MR. BARRY:

Did any of the rest of your family come over?

MR. YIANAKIS:

My father was here. I don't exactly -- I don't remember the year, but he was over here for a long time, and I remember when I come in, the immigration, he called me to give me the American citizen papers, because my father, he was American citizen before I was born, and absolutely the children get American citizen papers, and I remember them. When I come in, immigration send me a letter. He say you can come in to get your American papers. The only thing I have to take a couple witness to certify my father's name, you know, and I was his son, that's all.

MR. BARRY:

Very good. Any other memories, funny stories?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, memories, a lot just like anybody, you know, bad memories, good memories, you know.

MR. BARRY:

Well, what are some of your good memories?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, the good memories, I was -- when I started the radio station, you know, I had enjoyed myself.

MR. BARRY:

Tell us about how you started the radio station.

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, one day I was figure, you know, if I can join the radio station, if I can come up. So I went to the radio station and I asked them if I can buy one hour, you know. They say yeah, you can buy it, and then I went to the different places, I asked if they want to advertise.

MR. BARRY:

When was this, what year was this; do you remember?

MR. YIANAKIS:

1957.

MR. BARRY:

So you had worked at Sparrows Point about two years?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes, I work two years in the Sparrows Point.

MR. BARRY:

And so then you ran the radio station every Sunday afternoon?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Every Sunday, 1:00 to 2:00 every Sunday.

MR. BARRY:

Did you ever get called into work on Sundays?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, I never work on Sundays.

MR. BARRY:

Always just worked Monday through Friday?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yeah, Monday through Friday, Monday to Friday. Very seldom to work on Saturdays just like I told you, a lot of times the foreman, he asked me do you want to work tomorrow? I say no, I don't. That's up to you. He say I cannot force you to work six days. Five days, that's all right.

MR. BARRY:

So did all the people you work with listen to your radio program?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yeah, I have a lot of listeners, I have a lot listeners, because the stations I was broadcasting you go to not only to Baltimore but you go to York , Pennsylvania . Cover up to Washington , you cover up all the way to Wildwood, New Jersey .

MR. BARRY:

And it was the only Greek program on?

MR. YIANAKIS:

He had another one. He had another one, 4:00 to 5:00. I was 1:00 to 2:00, he had another one, and just like I told you I was enjoying because I bring you the news from the community. I tell the people what's going on in the community, who die, who get married, who engaged, when we're going to have a festival, when we're going to have a dance, all these community news I was broadcasting. And also bringing news from Greece , what's going on in Greece , so everybody, you know, likes to listen to know what's going on.

MR. BARRY:

Were there some bad memories?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No. It was good memories.

MR. BARRY:

Did you ever see any accidents at Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Not big one accidents, no, no. Sometime you scratch your hands or scratch your feet, but not big accidents, no, I never seen one.

MR. BARRY:

Because the hot strip mill was not that dangerous. Some of the other areas were --

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, it was not dangerous.

MR. BARRY:

Did you ever hear about accidents in other parts of the mill?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No.

MR. BARRY:

Well, I appreciate your time. Anything else?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Thank you very much.

MR. BARRY:

Anything else you can remember about working down there?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Well, I don't remember anything else.

MR. BARRY:

Did they have any like activities that you played like softball or baseball?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, we don't play up there. We used to have a team here in Highlandtown. We play soccer team for a long time every Sunday, you know. We go to the different places, different fields with the different teams and we play -- it be the Italian team,
different countries. We had a Germany , had different teams, and we play every Sunday. We have the name of the soccer team we have them here we call them Olibiata, and we have it for a long time.

MR. BARRY:

Did they ever have parties inside the plant for retirement or birthdays?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yeah, they had the parties. We enjoyed.

MR. BARRY:

Did you make friends down there who were not from the community?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Yes, yes, of course.

MR. BARRY:

Do you ever see any of them or hear of them, do they ever come by?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Sometime it was pass by from here, but lately like I say I lost the contact every one I used to remember.

MR. BARRY:

Okay. All right. Well, I want to thank you. Anything else you can remember about Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

That's it.

MR. BARRY:

Okay.

MR. YIANAKIS:

It's a shame that the Sparrows Point it closed down and every one lost the jobs. It was a good place for the people to work up there, and right now, he only had maybe a couple thousand people.

MR. BARRY:

Let me ask you one other question. Did you ever go to the town of Sparrows Point?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No.

MR. BARRY:

You just would take the bus in and the street car in and then come back out?

MR. YIANAKIS:

Just take the bus, go to my job, come back from there to the Highlandtown.

MR. BARRY:

Never shopped there?

MR. YIANAKIS:

No, I never.

MR. BARRY:

All right. Good. Thank you very much.