b"And you're very good, you're a beautiful person. And that's part of the permanent record.As I said, I went to Bronxdale. I think Carl Haynes was the organizer whatever that development was at time.He contributed a lot. He was a stand-outnik. I said to myself, where did this guy come from? I think he was a housingassistant. Carl Haynes, John Tournbacaris, I can't remember now And they were doing a good job, too. They were doinga real good job. Okay, that's it. No more to say.\x02Pauline Dyer-WoodsonHealth and Hospital Corporation, Dietary aide, EKG Technician,First Women Business Agent, Executive Board MemberLocal 237s First Woman Executive Board MemberMember since 1952The following is an edited version of Pauline Dyer-Woodsons oral history interview.Pauline Dyer-Woodson, a dietician at Cumberland Hospital, played a major role in the unions organizing drives.She was appointed to the board in 1967. Today, Local 237 members take it for granted that women serve on theirexecutive board, but that wasnt always so. For 15 years after the local was founded in 1952, the board was all male.Then, in 1967, Pauline Dyer-Woodson was named a trustee by then President Barry Feinstein, becoming the firstwoman, and the first African American woman, on Local 237s executive board.Pauline Dyer-Woodson was born in McAlister, Oklahoma, in 1925. After graduating from high school, she gotmarried and in 1944 moved to New York City, where she attended Manhattan Community College. In 1953, she wentto work at Cumberland Hospital as a dietary aide. Angered by the working conditions, Dyer-Woodson quickly joined aunion organizing drive being waged by the recently formed Teamsters Local 237.The early days were rugged, recalled Dyer-Woodson in a recent telephone interview from her home in Fort Worth,Texas, where she and her husband, Woodrow, moved after retiring two years ago. After working all day, we would rush toCity Hall to demonstrate [for union recognition]. Some of the women had baby carriagesthere were some powerfulwomen who were very union minded. In those days, the union had to collect dues from each member individually. It washard work. We had to get the $2 on payday or we knew we wouldnt get it. We would take each members book, get itstamped, and return it. Finally, after we won recognition and collective bargaining rights in 1954, we got dues check-offand the city began to deduct dues from paychecks. That helped stabilize the union.In addition to organizing at Cumberland, Dyer-Woodson organized at Coney Island Hospital for a month. We worked around the clock getting cards signed, Dyer-Woodson said. Local 237 was competing with D.C. 37 for members in the hospitals, and the campaigns got dirty. Several Local 237 leaders were forced to leave when they werered-baited, Dyer- Woodson said, adding, Thats the kind of stuff we were dealing with.17 "