75th Anniversary of the UAW Sit Down Strike

This Christmas / New Year's week begins the 75 anniversary of the famous 1937-38 Sit Down Strike in Flint Michigan. It was a result of this strike that lead to the formal recognition of the United Auto Workers within GM, and subsequently Ford, Chrysler, and all the other automakers of the day. Some historians say that this is the most significant strike in US history. Not only did this strike legitimize the UAW, it legimized many of the AFL and CIO unions across the nation as well. The UAW's leadership in collective baragaining lead to improved working conditions, pay and benefits for its workers, it forever changed the face of America labor.

I imagine many of your parents or grand parents wages, working conditions or benefits were changed as a result of the UAW and other union activities. Like them or not, the UAW did dramatically affect the auto industry and the nation as a whole. Today, the face of union labor is changing with the times as the auto industry is dramatically re-shaping itself.

Let's not forget what these men fought for and won. We owe them that much.

http://www.sloanlongway.org/SloanMuseum/Ex...DownStrike.aspx