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1936

The Sitdowners' Struggle

Sitdowners' Memorial

Sitdowners' Memorial at UAW Region 1C 9-1-03

 January-June

General Motors spends $994,855.00 to pay labor spies throughout its plants nationwide.

 

 June
 Just two months after the auto workers elect their first national officers in South Bend, IN, the UAW begins the drive to organize Flint, heartland of the GM empire. Orgainizers include Vice President Wyndham Mortimer, Bob Travis and Roy Reuther

 November

Fisher Body One workers succeed in quick sitdown strike, get fired workers back on the job.

 

 December 26

Roy Reuther exposes GM spy in dramatic confrontation at Flint UAW Local 156 meeting.

 

 December 30

Alerted by their union leaders, the workers barricade Fisher One and Two to prevent removal of dies, and sit down.

 

  1937

 January 1
 Victor Reuther is sent to Flint.

January 2

GM gets injunction against strikers from Circuit Judge Edward D. Black. As Sheriff Thomas Wolcott deputizes 100 auzilliary police to evict the strikers, Judge Black is revealed as the owner of $219,000.00 in GM stock and is disqualified.

 

 

 

 January 4
 UAW drafts demands for recognition and a contract, in a letter to GM

January 9 
  Inspired by the Flint strikes, other sitdowns are undertaken, with 3,800 workers sitting down on this date in the Cadillac plant in Detroit under the leadership of Walter Reuther

 January 11
 The historic "Battle of the Bulls Run" takes place. Flint police use tear gas and bullets against the sitdowners and pickets outside Fisher Two, but are driven back with fire hoses and thrown door hinges.

 January 12
 Michigan Governor Frank Murphy comes to Flint as the battle ends and mobilizes the National Guard. More GM workers sit dow at Fleetwood Body Works in Detroit, Guide Lamp in Anderson, IN, Chevy Fisher Body in St. Louis, MO and elsewhere. Of the 150,000 production workers at GM, about 113,000 are on strike nation-wide.

 January 14
 GM and the UAW representatives meet across the bargaining table for the first time since the sitdowns began.

 January 15
 At the insistence of Gov. Murphy, GM agrees to bargain with the UAW if the strikers evacuate the plants. The UAW agrees, strikers evacuate Cadillac, Fleetwook, Guide Lamp and others.

 January 16
 The "False Armistice" - GM breaks its promises and the agreement fails. Sitdowners remain in Fisher One and Two.

 January 19
 Strikes spread. At the Briggs Meldrum Ave. plant in Detroit, 2,000 win 12 day strike, led by Emil Mazey. Among 200 reinstated to their jobs are Mazey's father and brother.

 January 25
 Victor Reuther is sent to elad struggle against GM in Anderson, IN.

 January 28
 GM goes to court for a second injunction against the strikers.

February 1
 Judge Paul V. Gadola grants the injunction, bans peaceful picketing and orders the strikers out in two days or he will fine the union $15 million.

 February 2
 Union members respond to call, converge on Flint in huge mass demonstration outside Fisher One. Protest made to Governor Murphy b Sitdownders.

 February 3
 Governor decides not to enforce injunction, brings GM and UAW leaders together in the Detroit court of his brother, Judge George Murphy. Hard bargaining begins.

 February 11
 UAW wins historic one page agreement from GM to recognize the union and to bargain. Sitdowners leave the three plants amid rejoicing.

 February 16
 Bargaining begins on the first UAW-GM contract.

 March 12
 The first contract is reached. A flood of strikes has broken out across the US and Canada. By September, workers have orgainized more than 400 companies into the UAW.