Jameel Russell: Today's date is July 28th, 2015 at 10:02 a.m. I am Jameel
Russell, the interviewer. The oral historian is Troy Cotton. The project is titled, "Oral Histories on Plant Closings in Milwaukee." Okay, Mr. Cotton, I'd like to start by asking you to just tell me a little bit about yourself.Troy Cotton Sr.: Well, my name is Troy Cotton Sr. I'm married. I have two --
three kids. Have three grandkids. I'm 51 years old. I'm a full time minister, and I love sports. Family oriented gentleman. Just love -- I love life, love peace, love having peace, and love people. Love people and just -- just enjoy life.Jameel Russell: Okay. Can you tell us about your educational background? High
00:01:00school, and such.Troy Cotton Sr.: Ah, High school went to Bayview High School my first two years
of high school, freshman and sophomore year then I transferred to Marshall, John Marshall High School and got in their broadcasting program and so I did my junior and senior year at John Marshall High School.James Russell: Okay. You say in your broadcasting program, was that something
that you actually wanted to do? Or?Troy Cotton Sr.: At the time, yes. At the time, yes. I thought I wanted to. I
was really into sports, especially basketball and I always liked the broadcasting aspects of like a news caster telling sports and stuff like that, anchor. So, I wanted to take broadcasting, then I got in to -- once I got into broadcasting it was kind of the working the cameras and stuff like that. So, I learned all that in high school.Jameel Russell: Okay. Are you currently employed?
Troy Cotton Sr.: Yeah, I'm a full time minister.
Jameel Russell: Okay, okay. How's that?
Troy Cotton Sr.: In a way it's great. The church is really changed my life, you
00:02:00know, and being full-time I have my own, as of right now, I have my own Christian t-shirt line called, "Caution Gear" and so I run my own business, and a full time ministry.Jameel Russell: Okay, alright. And, do you like -- like what do you like about
it, specifically? Is it the environment, the spirit that?Troy Cotton Sr.: Reaching people. Helping people. That's my job. I consider
myself as a life coach, and God changed my life and I think if he can change my life he can change anybody's life. So, I just love helping people and seeing people's lives change.Jameel Russell: Okay. Can you tell about your family? Like, your kids and what
school they go to in your community?Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes, my oldest son, as a matter of fact he just got, he had
kids, his name's Rivante Dansler , he's just got the head coaching job at Vincent High School. He's a full-time teacher at Vincent High School, and my youngest son is Troy Cotton, Jr. and he's an Assistant Director at the Hillside 00:03:00Boys and Girls Club, and he's also a financial advisor.Jameel Russell: Okay -- alright. Back when the plants closed, can you tell me a
little bit about that? Like, how did you find out about the plant closings?Troy Cotton Sr.: Well, I used to work, in 1990 I used to work at Master Lock and
that was kind of when the plant -- they'd been closed but they moved most of the jobs over to Mexico. They was going to move them to Mexico and China. So, they kind of cut back and I was affected in that cutback. We was going to lose our jobs and I left and went to the school system after then. But, before then I will always consider Milwaukee as a factory heaven because, there were so many factory jobs here in Milwaukee and I seen, growing up on 24th and Keefe, right by A.O Smith, and when that plant closed, I just seen a neighborhood just change. 00:04:00You know, I think it really affected a lot of communities because it was people
leaving Mississippi and Arkansas and things like that, coming here to get a job because there were so many factory jobs at that time, back in the 70's and 80's. There was so many factory jobs and you could leave one job today and get another job tomorrow. But, then all the plants started leaving Milwaukee area and you could just tell the crime went up, the neighborhoods went down, and things like that. So, I think it just affected the whole city as a whole.Jameel Russell: Okay. Did the, like did crime rise around your neighborhood
where you lived at and stuff like that? Did it -- what changed that was out of the norm?Troy Cotton Sr.: I don't know. I think crime, yeah it came -- crime got more
intense and the -- just the neighborhood changed and it was more -- people lost their homes. So, it was more renters. It wasn't as many homeowners and 00:05:00whenever you have a neighborhood that you don't have any ownership, I think the neighborhood kind of goes down.Jameel Russell: Okay. Was it like, what kind of crimes was it? Was it like
drugs related crimes?Troy Cotton Sr.: Drug related, theft and things like that because people was
just trying to -- it seemed like hey was trying to survive. You know, was no jobs so people was trying to just figure out how they was going to make it. So, with the frustration and things like that I think that just changed the whole neighborhood.Jameel Russell: Okay. You're a full-time member of the church so do you think
-- believe that the church helped you, like basically keep your spirits up despite what was going on?Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes, yes I believe having a spiritual background really helped
balance everything out. Because, when you're spiritual you have something you can lean and depend on. There's three phases in life. You either in a storm, 00:06:00coming out of a storm, or on your way in to a story but, always like to say when the storm of life is raging, we got a God that will stand by our side. So, if you have a spirituality background I think you can -- you have somebody you can take your problems to instead of turning to drugs or instead of turning to theft or robbery or anything like that.You can really have someone, a higher being that you can depend on, and that
will give you peace.Jameel Russell: When this happened, the plant closing, all this crime and theft
started happening, did more people come to your church? Or, was it just basically the same amount of people?Troy Cotton Sr.: I think it may -- it increased more because I think people were
afraid. I think and when people are afraid they seem to pray more, you know. And you know, a lot of times, a lot of things happen for a reason because, a lot of time when the jobs were plenteous, and we could get a job anytime we get 00:07:00ready, just wake up and go get a job that day or the next day, it seemed like we get complacent. Sometime we get beside ourselves, sometimes we forget all about God, you know and so God had his way of getting our attention to bring us back to maybe praying more.Jameel Russell: Although you say you worked at Master Lock , how was that job?
Troy Cotton Sr.: You know what, I really enjoyed Master Lock when I was there.
I thought it was a great environment, a great place to work, to provide for your family. It was a -- it was an experience. It was a great experience.Jameel Russell: What did you do specifically over there?
Troy Cotton Sr.: I was -- I worked on an assembly line and also we built locks
by hand, some by machine or sometimes I was a tester, test the lock, make sure it was working right before it's packed up. 00:08:00Jameel Russell: Was it like time consuming? Like, how long would your workday
be like?Troy Cotton Sr.: Work day started out -- when I first started I started out on
second shift, like from three to eleven at night. And then, I didn't like second shift because it seemed like -- there was a lot of things -- there was fishing summer time. You know, its hot outside and you got to go to work in the heat of the day. So, then I posted for a job on third shift so, I did third shift which they called the graveyard shift. I did third shift which is from eleven to seven, eleven p.m. to seven a.m. in the morning.So, that was a difference.
Jameel Russell: Okay. You said the environment was good so was there any kind
of like, you know, negative effects that would -- like racism, something like that or discrimination? Did you experience any of that?Troy Cotton Sr.: No, no, no, no, no, not there, no.
Jameel Russell: That's a good job. Now, did Master Lock provide any pensions or
00:09:00stuff like that?Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes, they had pensions. They had pensions. They had 401K and
things like that. Good benefit package, and that was the thing that was, I think -- we had a strong union and I think they, Master Lock, still in, is still open now but, there it's not the same as it used to be. When they was talking about moving the jobs to Mexico, I think they did that just to break the union because, the benefit package was so good at Master Lock at one time.So, my intake that they were going to move the jobs to Mexico just to break the
union, so they wouldn't have to -- because the insurance, the medical insurance, one of the biggest issues, that I think they got tired of providing. You know, and so that was the big change. And, once they moved the jobs to Mexico and it didn't work out the way, or China, wherever they went, it didn't work out the way they thought it was going to work, they brought the jobs back. But, all the 00:10:00people were gone. The union was broke so then they start hiring people through a temporary service but they didn't have to pay them the full benefits that we were once getting.Jameel Russell: Okay. Can you tell me about the time frame from when they left
to China and Mexico and when it came back?Troy Cotton Sr.: I was there from 1990 to 1999, so around 2000, 2001 I think
that's when they started to make the change. Yeah.Jameel Russell: Okay. What was the wages like? What was the monetary amount of
the pensions that you guys would receive at Master Lock?Troy Cotton Sr.: I mean it's been so long, I don't really remember. But, the
wages were good. I mean you were making, at that time, anywhere from 15 to, in the 1990's 15 to 20 dollars an hour, hourly wage and at that time that was really good money. I would say from 12 -- anywhere from 12 to 15 to 20, in that 00:11:00range area, yes.Jameel Russell: Alright. Earlier you mentioned the union with Master Lock. Can
you tell me a little bit about the union?Troy Cotton Sr.: Well, the union was very strong. Union was to fight for -- if
you have rights or if you feel that you was being either discriminated against or anything like that or you post for a job and you didn't think you, you know, it go by seniority. So, if you think you we're violated, the union was just to fight for you, to keep your rights in order, yep.Jameel Russell: Master Lock left to Mexico and overseas, when it came back did
you apply for a job over there?Troy Cotton Sr.: No, no, no I didn't -- at that time I was -- I had left there
and went to the school system. I was an educational system in the school system.Jameel Russell: Okay. What school, and how was that like?
Troy Cotton Sr.: It was great because I enjoy working with the youth and
00:12:00everything so, it was at Samuel Clemens Elementary School. I worked there for about 13 years and it was a good experience working with the youth trying to just instill in them -- you know, going the right way, doing the right thing.Jameel Russell: Was it difficult trying to, with the children and all, we're
they hard to deal with or was it just like easy sailing, or?Troy Cotton Sr.: First starting off it was pretty easy but then it got kind of
hard because children have -- their community and the generations have changed. I believe that it starts at home. You know, and the parents have gotten younger and there's no more teaching in the homes anymore. I think you shouldn't wait to get to school to be taught. I think it starts at home first, and then it, you know, moves to the school. So, it was a little different from when I was 00:13:00growing up.The kids kind of changed.
Jameel Russell: What did you do to keep the plants closings and all that crime
from else happening on community, what did you do with your children to keep them distracted, basically?Troy Cotton Sr.: Spent time. Spent time with my children. I mean I think a
child needs -- they need their parents in their life. You spend time with them and you know, whether it's through sports or anything like that, to keep them active. Yes.Jameel Russell: Okay. You say you like sports and you were involved in sports.
Did you do that also with -- in the school you're working in?Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes, I was a basketball coach.
Jameel Russell: Okay.
Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes, yes.
Jameel Russell: How was that?
Troy Cotton Sr.: It was great. It was great, it was a great experience. My
children got basket -- both of my sons got basketball scholarships, through basketball, and they went on to, you know, get their degrees and everything like that, so -- they just used basketball as their vehicle to open doors for them. 00:14:00And, I think sports is great for that because it gives you a sense of something you belong to a team, or things like that. And, I think it just helps out in the educational part.Jameel Russell: Okay. When Master Lock closed, did that like, devastate you or
anything like that? Did you feel like kind of depressed or felt like you wasn't like -- I would say like useless sort of?Troy Cotton Sr.: Well, when they first talked about they were going to move most
of the jobs overseas, I mean, of course, because you know, people, that's your means of taking care of your family. I mean it was a big blow when we first heard it but, you know, if by being, having a spiritual background, I just felt that I'm just going to trust God that much more and I believe he going to make a way.Jameel Russell: What source of transportation would you have to get to your job
at Master Lock, and back? Do you drive a car or do you take a bus or something like that?Troy Cotton Sr.: Oh, I had my own vehicle. I had my own car.
Jameel Russell: Okay. What were the short term of the effects of the plant
00:15:00closings and on your family and community?Troy Cotton Sr.: Well, the short term effect is when I left Master Lock to go in
to the school system I wasn't making as much, I took a pay cut. I wasn't making as much money as I was. The benefits in the school system was pretty good but, hourly wages was different. So, I had to make some adjustments.Jameel Russell: What were the long term affects?
Troy Cotton Sr.: -- I would say long term because you're -- because you've been
there for so long you put all that time in, you know, you get, it's like you give them your all and all so, it effects the way you live. I mean, you have to budget different. You have to, you know, you have to cut back on things. You can't -- when you was making, when you're used to making a certain amount and then you lose that income, then you have to make up for it somewhere else, it 00:16:00effects your whole life.Jameel Russell: How did it affect your life, specifically? Like, you said you
had to take a pay cut, so what'd you guys do? Did you guys have to change your lifestyle, basically to survive until you found a job that sufficed?Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes, I mean, you know, when you're working at a place like
Master Lock you're used to maybe buying new cars, maybe having different stuff done to your home, or things like that. So, a lot of things like that you had to cut back on. You know, you might have to down grade in vehicles, you know maybe your payments refinance and lower your payments and things like that.Jameel Russell: What do you feel is your mission as a -- specifically as African
American male? What do you believe is your mission in this world? And, during the plant closing in your community what did you feel like that you had to do, or prove to others to make them, like believe that everything would be alright?Troy Cotton Sr.: Trust in God. Trust in God and being a living example, and let
00:17:00people know that you have to have faith in God because you can't have faith in this job. You can't have faith in people. You got to have faith in God because people, jobs, will let you down. They don't care about if you're family going to eat or not, or things like that. You can't put all your trust in a job because they are going to do what's best for them. So, you really have to have a spiritual background in order to survive.Jameel Russell: How was the community in church, race wise? Was it just like
specifically black people coming over to your church? Or, was it like white people, or Mexican, something like that?Troy Cotton Sr.: It was a majority of African American membership but, we do
have some other ethnic backgrounds, you know, in our church. But, mostly African Americans.Jameel Russell: Okay. Why do you believe that Master Lock and other plants
moved overseas? Why do you believe they chose to do that?Troy Cotton Sr.: Cheaper labor. I believe, cheaper labor, yes.
00:18:00Jameel Russell: Hold on a sec. Can you tell your opinion about what should be
done to -- that should have been done back then to help your communities strive despite the plant closings? If you could have done something different, would you have done something different or is everything you did?Troy Cotton Sr.: I don't know what could have been done different. I think it
starts with the government and things like that of how you let -- because of the way Milwaukee was, I mean, I'm sure a lot of people remember all the industrial plants that were here, and how they all left. I just don't see how having that many and then all of a sudden they're all gone. You know, I think all the government and the city, the mayors, and things, I think something should have 00:19:00been done to try to keep those jobs here because, it affected the whole city of Milwaukee.Jameel Russell: Did you receive any unemployment compensation after Master Lock
closed down?Troy Cotton Sr.: No, because I found a job right away.
Jameel Russell: Oh, okay.
Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes.
Jameel Russell: What job did you find?
Troy Cotton Sr.: MPS.
Jameel Russell: MPS?
Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes.
Jameel Russell: Okay, yes. Was the wages about the same?'
Troy Cotton Sr.: No, no I took a pay cut.
Jameel Russell: Okay.
Troy Cotton Sr.: Yea, I took a pay cut.
Jameel Russell: Do you like what you did at MPSC?
Troy Cotton Sr.: Yes, because I love working with the youth so, I was really
blessed to find work right away after the downsizing at Master Lock. So, I was blessed to find work right away. I wasn't making as much money, but still I was able to survive.Jameel Russell: Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about Milwaukee and
what happened in your experience with the plant closings? Is there anything 00:20:00important you could think we should know or something like that?Troy Cotton Sr.: No, I think I covered it all.
Jameel Russell: Okay. Well thank you Mr. Cotton for your time.
Troy Cotton Sr.: Alright, thank you. I appreciate it.
Jameel Russell: Alright.