the.com/uaw
the union that turned wrench-turning into a middle-class ticket, then had to fight to keep it that way.
means the united auto workers, a labor union representing hundreds of thousands of workers in the auto, aerospace, and agricultural equipment industries.
from founded in 1935 in detroit amid the great depression, born from sit-down strikes where workers occupied gm plants and simply refused to leave until management recognized the union.
flint sit-down1936-37 strike invented the occupation tactic
membership peak1.5 million members in the late 1970s
2023 strikefirst simultaneous strike against big three automakers
shawn fainpresident who led aggressive stand-up strike strategy
for instance
flint sit-down strike — 1936-37, forced gm to recognize the uaw
walter reuther era — led uaw 1946-1970, shaped postwar labor bargaining
tesla organizing push — ongoing 2020s effort to unionize non-detroit automakers