I was born in Hungary in 1899. At the age of 12, I started work in a Hungarian mine, loading coal.

I came to Canada - to Saskatchewan - in 1928. I worked there, digging rocks for a farmer. He paid me $40 a month and gave me board as well.

Then, in 1930 I came to East Coulee to work in the Empire Mine. Then I went to the Atlas Mine. Later, I went on to the Crown Mine, and left it in 1962. Here's how it happened.

In come the pitboss. I want to eat my lunch, and he said, "Do you want to work again?" I said no.

He said, "I got to lay off some people - not you, just the young guys." I told him to lay me off.

"I never want to quit," I said. "I want to use the union pension."