Emmett Muldberg

Comrade Emmett Muldberg managed a warehouse in Studio City, West Coast People's Democratic Republic. He was a Party hardliner. When Charlie Simpkins was demoted from his grocery store to the warehouse, Muldberg immediately made it clear that he didn't like Simpkins.

While Simpkins did his best to stay off of Muldberg's radar, after several days of moving various items around by hand, he asked Muldberg why the warehouse men didn't have dollies. Muldberg snapped that they didn't, and that was all. The next day, Simpkins brough an old baby stroller to the warehouse, and proved to be an even more efficient worker.

However, Muldberg didn't see it that way. When the rest of the warehouse workers started bringing in their own homemade dollies (and improved their own efficiency), Muldberg summoned Simpkins to his office. While Simpkins assumed he'd be commended for his initiative, Muldberg instead took him to task for being disruptive and for making a mockery of the warehouse's work norms. He pronounced that all wheeled conveyances would be banned the next day. When Simpkins pointed out that the truck drivers who carried the items to the shops used dollies, Muldberg was unmoved; warehouse policy forbade wheeled conveyances.

By this point, the other employees had also grown used to their conveyances. One of Simpkins' co-workers, Dornel Banks, loudly challenged Comrade Muldberg when he posted the new policy. Another co-worker, a wiry man named Eddie, seemed more philosophical. The warehouse employees followed the directive.

When election day finally arrived, Muldberg direct the men to vote. The day after the election, the men under his charge circulated a petition that they sent to Muldberg's superiors to use dollies on the floor. The following Monday, Mulberg confronted the men about their petition, promising retribution.

Simpkins did suffer consequences as did his family. The Party even further punished Simpkins by replacing Muldberg with Horton Wilder, who was an even worse hard-liner than Muldberg.