May 26, 1937 - United Auto Workers organizers and Ford Service Department men clashed in a violent confrontation on the Miller Road Overpass outside Gate 4 of the Ford River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan. It became known as “The Battle of the Overpass.” Henry Ford announced: "We'll never recognize the United Automobile Workers Union or any other union." Though General Motors and Chrysler signed collective bargaining agreements with the UAW in 1937, Ford held out until 1942.
#BattleOfTheOverpass #UAW
#UAW
Today in Labor History May 26, 1937: Henry Ford unleashed his company goons and local police on United Auto Workers organizers at the “Battle of the Overpass” near the River Rouge plant. General Motors and Chrysler signed collective bargaining agreements with the UAW in 1937, but Ford held out until 1942. Ford Motor Co. security guards attacked union organizers and supporters attempting to distribute literature outside the plant. The guards tried to destroy any photos showing the attack. However, a few survived and they inspired the Pulitzer committee to establish a prize for photography. No one died in the attack, but 16 workers were injured. 5 years earlier, workers had been attacked by gunfire at the same location.
#workingclass #LaborHistory #strike #union #uaw #henryford #scabs #photography #pulitzer #police #policebrutality
Today in Labor History May 20, 1946: The U.S. government took over control of the coal mines (again). On April 1, 400,000 UMWA coal miners from 26 states went on strike for safer conditions, health benefits and increased wages. WWII had recently ended and President Truman saw the strike as counterproductive to economic recovery. In response, he seized the mines, making the miners temporarily federal employees. He ended the strike by offering them a deal that included healthcare and retirement security.
The coal strike was part of the strike wave of 1945-1946, the biggest strike wave in U.S. history. During WWII, most of the major unions collaborated with the U.S. war effort by enforcing labor “discipline” and preventing strikes. In exchange, the U.S. government supported closed shop policies under which employers at unionized companies agreed to hire only union members. While the closed shop gave unions more power within a particular company, the no-strike policy made that power virtually meaningless.
When the war ended, inflation soared and veterans flooded the labor market. As a result, frustrated workers began a series of wildcat strikes. Many grew into national, union-supported strikes. In November 1945, 225,000 UAW members went on strike. In January 1946, 174,000 electric workers struck. That same month, 750,000 steel workers joined them. Then, in April, the coal strike began. 250,000 railroad workers struck in May. In total, 4.3 million workers went on strike. It was the closest the U.S. came to a national General Strike in the 20th century. And in December 1946, Oakland, California did have a General Strike, the last in U.S. history.
Then, in 1947, Congress passed the Taft-Hartley Act, which severely restricted the powers and activities of unions. It also banned General Strikes, stripping away the most powerful tool workers had. And there hasn’t been a General Strike in the U.S. since.
#workingclass #LaborHistory #coal #mining #strike #GeneralStrike #wildcat #ww2 #union #WorldWarTwo #tafthartley #uaw #oakland
#Capitalism #Amazon #Honda #McDonalds #Starbucks
#labormovement #organize #solidarity #unions #AWI #SWU #UAW
Even more #FAFO! Remember how United Auto Workers president #ShawnFain sucked up to the gop, and praised trump at the RNC? And then whined when the Dems didn't welcome him afterwards?
chump's trade talks with the #UK gave beneficial #tariffs for overpriced car imports to the #US, while keeping tariffs high for US cars exported TO the UK.
And gosh, autoworkers are surprised and upset at leopards eating their faces.
#KshamaSawant: #Tariffs Are Not Good For The #WorkingClass (Nor is #Capitalism Itself)
"No matter what country we reside in, our enemies are the #rich, not other workers."
#uspol #usecon #economy #sawant #tarrif #workers #Obama #Biden #Trump #XiJinping #usa #china #UAW #Teamsters #recession #wealth #401k #nationalism #internationalism #layoffs
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/O4LtGYdhROs
Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) reform caucus has voted to dissolve itself, citing internal divisions. Its remaining funds will be split between several other union reform movements, immigrant legal services, a Mexican workers solidarity fund, and Jewish Voice for Peace.
BUT some members dissent :
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fb0EBNw4OwONCH4keeTgXDNxyxfOHct-If8xcuhMAzk/edit?tab=t.0
#Autoworkers #Labormovement #organize #solidarity #unions #UAW
Today in Labor History April 20, 1948: United Auto Workers President Walter Reuther was shot and seriously wounded by would-be assassins while he was eating dinner. It permanently impaired his right arm. He survived and ultimately died in a plane crash in 1970 under suspicious circumstances. Reuther also survived an attempted kidnapping in April, 1938, while his brother Victor was shot and nearly killed by police in 1949. The UAW headquarters was also bombed in 1949. Both Walter and Victor were again nearly killed in a small private plane near Dulles Airport. Despite this history of attempts on his life, virtually no media addressed the possibility that his actual death may have been an assassination.
#workingclass #LaborHistory #walterreuther #uaw #union #autoworkers #assassination #police #bombing
⬆️ >> This country is #FUBAR. "The #UAW supports aggressive #tariff action to protect American manufacturing jobs." 🤔
When #TrumpTariffs lower business profits, thus lowering #UAW profit-sharing, that would be #FAFO.
https://uaw.org/uaw-statement-on-tariffs-and-renegotiating-u-s-trade-agreements/
@GreenSyndicalist @GreenSyndicalistLeft
🗓 Upcoming Labor Notes Workshop, Wednesday, April 23: Steering Green Transitions 🚎
hear from #rankandfile workers who organized #strikes
Dave Kerin, construction laborer, Australian Builders Laborers Federation - Melbourne & #EarthWorker #Cooperative
Halee Hadfield, battery worker, #UAW United Auto Workers at Ford BlueOvalSK Kentucky
Sign up today: https://mailchi.mp/labornotes/givingtuesday21-10300217
What was #UAW thinking backing this plan?
#Trump’s 25% #tariffs on imported vehicles, which went into effect last week, are already sending tremors through the #AutoIndustry, prompting companies to stop shipping #cars to the #US, shut down factories in #Canada & #Mexico & lay off workers in #Michigan & other states.
#Trump #economy #inflation #recession #layoffs #trumpcession
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/business/trump-tariffs-cars-auto-industry.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=p&pvid=3CE332E7-38CB-491F-BBE5-4C54F080388D
#DemocracyNow! reporting on a #SolidarityStrike action the #MexicanAutoWorkersUnion has announced to protest the #UStariffs which won't bring AmericanAutoWorkers any well paid, unionized jobs with good and #SafeWorkingConditions, #HealthCare, and other basic needs met.
#UAW #press #news #BreakingNews
https://youtu.be/k5whTvsKEEs?si=5yP3vF8F8WZo1uuo
🧵 This is just lazy talk from Fain.
Both the #UAW and automakers have failed to evolve in #Michigan and in #Detroit.
The UAW faces oblivion.
I am a big supporter of unions, but they must ALWAYS evolve in the skill sets that they organize.
Sadly, the UAW is a BIG part of the problem here at home.
RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:z6rujpf4u56jfie7aqic2nfg/post/3lm6ulsbapc2n
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