Flint Sit Down Strike Daily Dose Documentary Viewed as the birth of the modern labor movement, in december of that year michigan autoworkers ‘sat down’ in the automobile factory and would not allow their bosses to remove manufacturing equipment to another plant. This poster by dylan miner of the justseeds artists’ cooperative pays homage to roscoe van zandt and his fellow flint sit down strikers of 1936 37. viewed as the birth of the modern labor movement, on december 30, 1936, michigan autoworkers “sat down” in the automobile factory in one of the first sit down strikes in the united states.
Flint Sit Down Strike Justseeds The sit down strike became a principal weapon of mass organization in the labor industry. labor workers could unionize regardless of race and education status, creating opportunities for membership agreements, payroll negotiation, and even government protection for workers. For six weeks in 1937, workers at general motors' flint, michigan, plant refused to budge from their sit down strike. that action changed the course of industrial and labor history, when general motors finally agreed to recognize the united auto workers as the sole bargaining agent in all gm plants. In flint, michigan, the united auto workers staged the first successful sit down, forcing general motors to come to terms. it was a major victory and the sit down spread to other areas. Some autoworkers, including many in flint, wanted to form a union to negotiate better pay and working conditions. the company refused to recognize the union, the united auto workers (u.a.w.). workers went on a sit down strike. instead of picketing outside, they stayed inside the factory.
Remembering The Flint Sit Down Strike 1936 1937 Labor History In flint, michigan, the united auto workers staged the first successful sit down, forcing general motors to come to terms. it was a major victory and the sit down spread to other areas. Some autoworkers, including many in flint, wanted to form a union to negotiate better pay and working conditions. the company refused to recognize the union, the united auto workers (u.a.w.). workers went on a sit down strike. instead of picketing outside, they stayed inside the factory. In july of 1936 there were hundreds of deaths in auto plants in michigan that were thought to be a result of a heat wave combined with difficult working conditions. on november 12, 1936, three welders participated in a “quickie sit down” strike and were fired when they arrived to work the next day. At 8 p.m. on dec. 30, 1936, in one of america’s first sit down strikes, autoworkers occupied the general motors fisher body plant in flint, mich. the autoworkers were striking to win. The chevy 4 sit downers constituted the largest group of strikers in flint, and although they only had to occupy the plant for ten days, their actions precipitated a crisis for general motors that ultimately forced its recognition of the union. The flint sit down strike of 1936 1937 was the birth of the united auto workers, which set the standard for wages in every industry. mcclelland tells the gripping story of how workingmen defeated general motors, the largest industrial corporation in the world.
Comments are closed.