Why did workers protest against General Motors Company in 1937?
The autoworkers were striking to win recognition of the United Auto Workers (UAW) as the only bargaining agent for GM’s workers; they also wanted to make the company stop sending work to non-union plants and to establish a fair minimum wage scale, a grievance system and a set of procedures that would help protect …
What was the outcome of the Flint sit down strike in 1937?
After 44 days of striking, GM President Alfred P. Sloan announced a $25 million wage increase to workers and recognition of the union. This was the first major victory for unionization in America’s history and its consequences were dramatic; within two weeks, 87 sit down strikes started in Detroit alone.
Which of the following was a consequence of the United Auto Workers sit down strike of 1936 1937?
The Flint Sit-Down Strike is known as the most important strike in American history because it changed the United Automobile Workers (UAW) from a collection of isolated individuals into a major union, ultimately leading to the unionization of the United States automobile industry.
Are sit down strikes illegal?
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a “sitdown” strike, when employees simply stay in the plant and refuse to work, thus depriving the owner of property, is not protected by the law.
When were sit-down strikes made illegal?
On this day, February 27, in 1939, the Supreme Court decided in the case of NLRB v. Fansteel Metallurgical Coorp. that sit-down-strikes, where the strikers occupy their stations, preventing replacement workers from taking over, were essentially illegal.
How many days did the GM strike of 1936 last?
44 days
The strikes had lasted for 44 days, left 136,000 GM workers idle and caused 280,000 cars to go unbuilt. Though much of the public was against sit-down strikes and considered labor unionists to be dangerous rabble-rousers, GM’s public image had suffered, too. And labor would never be the same.
Why did GM leave Flint?
Faced with dwindling demand for large cars as more Americans switch to sport utility vehicles, mini-vans and pickup trucks, the General Motors Corporation announced today that it would close its 2,900-employee car factory in Flint, Mich., during the third quarter of 1999.
What was the most violent strike during the Great Depression?
1934 longshore strike
On August 24, 1933, strikers faced 250 farmers, organized as a militia to put down the incipient union organizing among fieldworkers. The 1934 longshore strike up and down the West Coast was one of the most explosive and successful strikes during the Depression.
Can a union force you to strike?
Under the National Labor Relations Act you have a right to strike as well as a right not to strike. If the employer continues to operate during the strike, you need to decide what to do based on your own needs.
Are wildcat strikes illegal?
Wildcat strikes have been considered illegal in the United States since 1935. The 1932 Norris-La Guardia Act provided that clauses in labor contracts barring employees from joining unions were not enforceable, thus granting employees the right to unionize regardless of their workplace situation.
What are sit-down strikes in the 1930s?
Sit-down strikes became a favorite tactic of unions during the 1930s. The basic idea was for workers to stop what they were doing on the assembly line and bring all production to a halt. The workers then, in effect, occupied the factory. This lessened the chance of strike-breakers taking over their jobs.
How many people joined unions by 1937?
1937, in which 1,860,621 workers were involved. These workers lost approximately 28,425,000 man-days of work while strikes were in progress during the year.
Why did GM switch back to Lake Michigan water?
City and state officials denied for months that there was a serious problem. By that time, supply pipes had sustained major corrosion and lead was leaching into the water. The city switched back to its original water supply late last year, but it was too late to reverse the damage to the pipes.
Why did Buick City close?
Since then, sales of the large sedans that make up the heart of Buick’s lineup have been falling as many buyers turn to sport utility vehicles instead. In 1997, the company said it would close Buick City’s car assembly lines and transfer production to two Michigan plants that can handle more models.
What is the longest strike in history?
1937 Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters win contract with Pullman Co. 1998 The longest successful strike in the history of the United States, the Frontier Strike, ends after 6 years, 4 months and 10 days.
What is unofficial strike?
An unofficial strike is a work stoppage by union members that is not endorsed by the union and that does not follow the legal requirements for striking. Workers engaging in unofficial strikes have little legal recourse if they are fired and do not receive strike pay.
What does it mean to be at will?
At-will means that an employer can terminate an employee at any time for any reason, except an illegal one, or for no reason without incurring legal liability. Likewise, an employee is free to leave a job at any time for any or no reason with no adverse legal consequences.
What was the most important labor law reform in the 1930’s?
The 1933 National Industrial Recovery Act had guaranteed labor’s right to organize and bargain collectively. Now FDR signed the Wagner Act, the most important labor law in American history.
How many strikes were there in 1937?
4,740 strikes
As compared with 1936, there were increases in 1937 of 118 percent in number of strikes, 136 percent in number of workers involved, and 104 percent in man-days of idleness. It is believed that the 4,740 strikes recorded for 1937 include prac- tically all strikes of any importance which occurred during the year.
What was the largest labor union during World War I?
the American Federation of Labor (AFL)
As a result, membership in the American Federation of Labor (AFL), the country’s largest labor union, surged by 50 percent between 1917 and 1919. After World War I, however, the labor movement lost ground. The National War Labor Board disbanded, and American businesses sought to regain power over the unions.
What was the reason General Motors closed their factory in Flint Michigan?
Why did GM pull out of Flint Michigan?
This was also originally known as the Flint Wagon Works before it was relocated to its current location, known as Buick City. In 1984, due to smaller sales of four-cylinder engines, the Chevrolet Flint Motor Plant (Plant Four) closed after millions of dollars in improvements several years earlier.
What was the Padlock Law of 1939?
On June 1, 1939, we reported that the chief justice of Quebec’s Superior Court had upheld the province’s Padlock Law the previous day. Police, acting on orders from Premier Maurice Duplessis, padlock a building housing the United Jewish People’s Order on Esplanade Ave. in Montreal in January 1950.
What is the Padlock Law in Canada?
Padlock Law. A violation of the Act subjected such property to being ordered closed by the Attorney General – “padlocked” – against any use whatsoever for a period of up to one year, and any person found guilty of involvement in prohibited media activities could be incarcerated for three to thirteen months.
What was the Supreme Court case that overturned the padlock?
In June 1950, the Superior Court once again upheld the Padlock Law in another case, Switzman v. Elbling. However, that case went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, which in 1957 struck down the law as unconstitutional, on jurisdictional grounds, and because it violated the right to free speech.
Could the federal government have nullified the Padlock Law?
The federal government under Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King could have used its power of disallowance to nullify the Padlock Law, as it had done to overturn equally controversial laws that had been passed by Alberta ‘s Social Credit government around the same time. However, King chose not to intervene in Quebec.