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UAW Milestones 1935 - The UAW holds its first convention in Detroit on August 26. There were 200 delegates present and Francis Dillon is appointed President. 1936 - Homer Martin elected President at the UAW Convention held in South Bend, Indiana. 1937 - UAW ends Flint sitdown strike after GM agrees to negotiate with the union. 1939 - UAW Local 602 is granted a separate charter breaking away from AIW-CIO 182 on January 18. UAW wins "strategy strike" led by skilled trades workers at GM facilities. The company recognizes UAW's right to bargain for GM workers, establishes seniority rights, and lays the ground work for the apprentice program. R.J. Thomas is elected the third President of the UAW. 1940 - UAW wins the first paid vacation in negotiations with GM. Workers with one year of seniority receive 40 hours of vacation pay per year. 1941 - UAW International Executive Board adopts no strike pledge after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the Congressional Declaration of War against Japan, Italy, and Germany. The no strike decision was later reaffirmed by a membership poll. 1942 - UAW wins doubling of paid vacation time for workers with five years of seniority. GM contract also provides a four cents per hour wage increase with six cents per hour increase for tool and die and some maintenance classifications. Federal Government establishes War Production Board Labor Division. UAW President R.J. Thomas serves on the board. 1944 - First UAW Women's Conference calls for full employment and equal pay for women. 1945-46 - UAW strikes GM for 113 days. The contract provided an eighteen cents per hour wage increase, dues check off, and other gains. 1946 - Walter Reuther elected fourth President of the UAW. 1947 - Six paid holidays established in the GM contract setting the pattern for other companies 1948 - UAW wins first Annual Improvement Factor (AIF) raise. The AIF recognizes workers contribution to productivity increases. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is also secured during negotiations. 1950 - UAW wins union shop provision in a vote of the workers. First paid hospitalization (partial) and medical benefits won at the bargaining table. 1955 - Supplementary Unemployment Benefits (SUB) won at Ford. This benefit represented an effort to win a guaranteed annual wage for workers. 1961 - UAW wins fully paid hospitalization and sickness benefits as well as a no discrimination clause. 1963 - UAW joins the March on Washington and lobbies for the passage of a Civil Rights law. 1970 - Walter and May Reuther die in a tragic plane crash. Leonard Woodcock is named the fifth President of the UAW. Following a ten week strike, the UAW wins a "30 and out" early retirement program, uncapped COLA, and up to four weeks paid vacation. 1973 - UAW Health and Safety committees are established. 1977 - Douglas Fraser succeeds Leonard Woodcock as the sixth President of the UAW. 1982 - UAW wins profit sharing, Guaranteed Income Stream (GIS), a moratorium on plant closings, and company funded training/retraining programs. 1983 - Owen Bieber elected the seventh President of the UAW. 1984 - GM contract sets new job security pattern. Eligible workers with one year or more seniority are placed in a "job bank" instead of being laid off. 1996 - Stephen Yokich elected the eighth President of the UAW