Tobacco Documents Online

, DRAFT/February 27, 1997 page 3 "You wouldn't believe how many horn blows and thumbs-up I got from that license plate," he says. Although he has retired the plate for now, it sounds like his own retirement is still a long way off. And that's one of the reasons Philip Morris USA is "the best company in the world." # # #

, DRBFT/February 27, 1997 page 2 And for more than 20 years he has always found the time to keep cigarette packing machines in good working order. When he started as a mechanic, known on the factory floor as a"fixer," a packing machine could fill 115 cigarette packs per minute. Today, the machine he oversees does the same amount of work in 16 seconds. Delays can be costly. The last time he checked, packing machine down-time would cost the company about $40,000 a minute. "Fixers" have to know what they're doing and work fast. Bert explains that it takes three years to learn the job. Then, as equipment changes, fixers go back to school for up to 14 weeks at a time. The fastest machine available today fills 720 packs per minute, or 12 packs per second. What leads someone to get into an intense job like that? "Well, I just couldn't stand the family business, which was body and fender work," he says. And what does he tell people who might question his commitment to Philip Morris U.S.A. and the tobacco industry? "I tell them I work for the best company in the world," Bert says. "I've made a good living through tobacco - I've raised three kids and sent them to college on tobacco money." And what is his approach to anti-smoking activists? "People are adults," he says. "They know both sides" of the smoking issue, and "they still choose to smoke." His brand? Marlboro Medium. His license plate? "RT 2 SMOK."

The Tobacco Industry at Work: Philip Morris USA Employee Bert Conner: True Believer Look up "dedication" in a dictionary and you may find a picture of Bert Conner. He started his career with Philip Morris U.S.A. in Richmond at age 17, and now, at age 47, he's Although he'll be entitled to retire at ful;,-b~Gnefits been with the company for almost 30 years. this spring, Bert has no intention o soon. He just started a three-year term as vice president of the tobacco workers' union, and he's busier than ever. He's also continuing the fight for smokers' rights. "Any time there's an issue and I can get -involved," he says, "I do." Among other things, Bert joined several thousand of his PM USA colleagues in the April 1993 "Beat FET" march on groups. "' r 1 Assembly on tobac~_ / V l{~" Washington, intended to draw lawmakers' attention to the strong opposition to increasing the federal excise tax on O V cigarettes as a way to fund a national health care program. w ~ He also worked the Richmond International Raceway to gather W 07 petition signatures in opposition to the tax. Bert also CD helped found the Greater Richmond Smokers' Rights Group, and he coordinated activities among Virginia's smokers' rights ~~ ~f VA ~ I `' CO).' G s ~ U 0~