United Automobile Workers

History

The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's United Automobile Workers page on 21 November 2016, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Automobile Workers (UAW), is an American labor union that represents workers in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in the 1930s, the UAW grew rapidly from 1936 to the 1950s. Under the leadership of Walter Reuther (president 1946-70) it played a major role in the liberal wing of the Democratic party, including the civil rights and anti-Communist movements. The UAW was especially known for gaining high wages and pensions for the auto workers, but it was unable to unionize auto plants built by foreign-based car-makers in the South after the 1970s, and went into a steady decline in membership — increased automation, decreased use of labor, movements of manufacturing (including reaction to NAFTA), and increased Globalization all were factors.

UAW members in the 21st century work in industries as diverse as autos and auto parts, health care, casino gambling and higher education. Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, the union has more than 400,000 active members and more than 580,000 retired members in over 600 local unions. The UAW currently has 1,150 contracts with some 1,600 employers.

1930's

The UAW was founded in May 1935 in Detroit, Michigan, under the auspices of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) after years of agitation within the labor federation. The AFL had focused on organizing craft unions and avoided large factories. But at its 1935 convention, a caucus of industrial unions led by John L. Lewis formed the Committee for Industrial Organization, the original CIO, within the AFL. Within one year, the AFL suspended the unions in the CIO, and these, including the UAW, formed the rival Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). It attracted young left-wing activists, socialists and Communists, in contrast to the older, established AFL leaders.

The UAW rapidly found success in organizing with the sit-down strike — first in a General Motors plant in Atlanta, Georgia in 1936, and more famously in the Flint sit-down strike that began on December 29, 1936. That strike ended in February 1937 after Michigan's governor Frank Murphy played the role of mediator, negotiating recognition of the UAW by General Motors. The next month, auto workers at Chrysler won recognition of the UAW as their representative in a sit-down strike.

The UAW's next target was the Ford Motor Company, which had long resisted unionization. Ford manager Harry Bennett used brute force to keep the union out of Ford, and his Ford Service Department was set up as an internal security, intimidation, and espionage unit within the company. It was not reluctant to use violence against union organizers and sympathizers (see The Battle of the Overpass). It took until 1941 for Ford to agree to a collective bargaining agreement with the UAW.

Communists provided many of the organizers and took control of key union locals, especially Local 600, which represented the largest Ford plants. The Communist faction controlled some of the key positions in the union, including the directorship of the Washington office, the research department, and the legal office. Walter Reuther, a rising power, at times cooperated closely with the Communists, but Reuther and his allies and the Communists were distinct factions in the UAW. The UAW was one of the first major unions that was willing to organize African-American workers.

The UAW discovered that to be a successful bargaining agency with the corporation it had to be able to uphold its side of the bargain. That meant wildcat strikes and disruptive behavior by union members had to be stopped by the union itself. Many members were extreme individualists who did not like being bossed around either by company foremen, or by union agents; they represented a powerful, albeit poorly organized, "syndicalist" element—democratic, localistic, and oriented to the specific shop-floor. Leaders of the UAW realized they had to control the shop floor, for as Reuther explained in 1939, "We must demonstrate that we are a disciplined, responsible organization; we not only have power, but that we have power under control."

Multimedia

Date	Media or Collection Name & Details	Files
2007	2007 UAW Bargaining Convention Uncensored Soldiers of Solidarity	Topic Page - 1:32:51
24 September 2007	Auto Workers Strike Closes GM Factories Mil Arcega for Voice of America News	Article Page - 2:08
25 September 2007	Analysts Predict Massive Losses for General Motors If Strike Prolonged Alex Villarreal for Voice of America News	Article Page - 2:56

Photographs

Subject:  Local 1268 Photographer:  Bill Crittenden Location:  Belvidere, Illinois Date:  14 March 2010 View photo of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 1268 Building - 3,318KB

Documents

Date	File Description	Files
1 February 1954	Letter to Walter Reuther, President, United Automobile Workers, CIO, Concerning Economic Growth and Stability. To: Walter Reuther, UAW From: President Dwight D. Eisenhower	Letter - 1 page
7 December 1965	Auto Workers v. Scofield Supreme Court of the United States Decision	Text
14 May 2010	United States District Court, District of Kansas AZ Automotive Corp. v. United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America International Union, AFL-CIO and UAW Local 710 Memorandum and Order	PDF - 122KB - 10 pages
26 July 2017 filing date	United States of America v. D-2 Alphons Iacobelli, D-3 Monica Morgan First Superseding Indictment United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division	PDF - 15.1MB - 42 pages
14 March 2018 filing date	United States of America v. D-6 Nancy A. Johnson Fourth Superseding Indictment United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division	PDF - 606KB - 18 pages

Article Index

Date	Article	Author/Source
8 May 1962	Address in Atlantic City at the Convention of the United Auto Workers.	President John F. Kennedy
23 March 1964	Remarks in Atlantic City at the Convention of the United Auto Workers.	President Lyndon B. Johnson
20 May 1966	Remarks by Telephone to the Convention of the United Automobile Workers.	President Lyndon B. Johnson
12 June 1995	Remarks to the United Auto Workers Convention	President Bill Clinton
21 March 1996	Statement on the Tentative Agreement To End the General Motors Strike	President Bill Clinton
2 November 1996	Statement on the Tentative Agreement Between the United Auto Workers and General Motors	President Bill Clinton
23 October 2000	UAW GETS SUPPORT FROM AN UNLIKELY ALLY	Yarde Metals
18 September 2003	GM, UAW Reach Labor Agreement	Barry Wood
21 March 2004	Weston Resident Appointed State Coordinator for UAW Local 1981	UAW Local 1981
31 March 2006	Auto parts maker Delphi plans to cut 8,500 jobs; union contracts	Wikinews
19 April 2006	Where Would General Motors Be Without the United Automobile Workers Union?	George Reisman
22 March 2007	UAW Members Fault Union Leaders For Concessions	Anthony Fontanelle
29 March 2007	“Strike Was Not Out Of The Question” - Gettelfinger	Anthony Fontanelle
25 April 2007	UAW Member Perks Slashed	Anthony Fontanelle
29 May 2007	GM, Delphi Nearing Pact With UAW	Anthony Fontanelle
18 June 2007	Delphi, GM And UAW Nearing Wages Pact	Anthony Fontanelle
20 June 2007	Delphi, UAW Close To Reaching Agreement	Anthony Fontanelle
27 June 2007	Delphi, UAW Agree On Wage Cuts	Anthony Fontanelle
27 June 2007	UAW To Push Delphi Wage Deal	Anthony Fontanelle
28 June 2007	Workers Say UAW Got Best Deal	Anthony Fontanelle
24 July 2007	Delphi Labor Pact Gets OK	Anthony Fontanelle
25 July 2007	What Will Surface At The Bargaining Table?	Anthony Fontanelle
24 September 2007	Auto Workers Strike Closes GM Factories	Mil Arcega
24 September 2007	Edwards Statement In Support Of Striking UAW Members	Senator John Edwards
24 September 2007	Governor Bill Richardson Statement in Support of Strike by United Auto Workers	Governor Bill Richardson
24 September 2007	Obama Statement on UAW Strike	Senator Barack Obama
24 September 2007	Sindicato de General Motors anuncia huelga inminente	Wikinoticias
25 September 2007	Analysts Predict Massive Losses for General Motors If Strike Prolonged	Alex Villarreal
25 September 2007	Hillary Clinton Statement On UAW Strike	Senator Hillary Clinton
26 September 2007	Edwards Statement On Tentative Agreement Between The U.A.W. And G.M.	Senator John Edwards
26 September 2007	Union Reaches Deal with Largest US Automaker	Alex Villarreal
4 October 2007	GM-UAW Agreement A Blow To CAW	Anthony Fontanelle
10 October 2007	Chrysler Auto Workers Begin Strike	VOA News
10 October 2007	Edwards Statement In Support Of Striking Chrysler Autoworkers	Senator John Edwards
13 November 2007	Remarks to the United Auto Workers Conference in Dubuque, Iowa	Senator Barack Obama
13 November 2007	UAW-Dodge Members Aid Wild Fire Victims	Anthony Fontanelle
25 October 2010	United Auto Workers Local 1999, Oklahoma City, OK; Notice of Negative Determination Regarding Application for Reconsideration	Federal Register: DoL (Del Min Amy Chen)
12 January 2011	UAW-Chrysler National Training Center Technology Training Joint Programs Staff, Detroit, MI; UAW-Chrysler Technical Training Center Technology Training Joint Programs Staff, Warren, MI; Notice of Revised Determination on Reconsideration	Del Min Amy Chen
18 April 2011	Former Union Official Sentenced in Improper Payments Scheme	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of New York
27 May 2011	Amended Revised Determination on Reconsideration: UAW-Chrysler Technical Training Center, Technology Training Joint Programs Staff Including On-Site Leased Workers from Manpower, Detroit, Michigan; UAW-Chrysler Technical Training Center, Technology Training Joint Programs Staff, Including On-Site Leased Workers from Manpower, Warren, Michigan	Federal Register: DoL (Del Min Amy Chen)
16 September 2011	GM, UAW Agree on New Contract	VOA News
17 September 2011	GM, UAW Agree on New Contract	VOA Breaking News
23 September 2011	US Automakers Haggling With Union	VOA Breaking News
28 September 2011	Union Approves Labor Pact With General Motors	VOA Breaking News
12 October 2011	US Auto Maker Chrysler Reaches Labor Deal	VOA Breaking News
19 December 2011	Two Former Leaders of the United Auto Workers Sentenced to Prison for Extorting General Motors	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
15 February 2012	Mitt Romney to UAW Boss Bob King: I Won't Give in to the UAW	Governor Mitt Romney
28 February 2012	Remarks to the United Auto Workers Convention	President Barack Obama
15 February 2014	UAW Mulls Legal Action After VW Tennessee Plant Vote	VOA News
22 October 2015	Fiat-Chrysler Strikes Deal with UAW	VOA News
26 July 2017	Former FCA Executive and Wife of Former UAW Vice President Charged in Scheme to Pay Off UAW Officials	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
8 August 2017	Former FCA Executive Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Pay Off UAW Officials	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
18 August 2017	Former UAW Official Charged in Scheme To Accept Illegal Payments from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
29 August 2017	Former UAW Official Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Accept Illegal Payments from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
22 January 2018	Fiat Chrysler's Former Vice President for Employee Relations Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Pay Off Senior UAW Officials	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
6 February 2018	Wife of Former UAW Vice President Pleads Guilty to Criminal Tax Fraud	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
21 March 2018	Former Senior UAW Official Charged with Accepting Prohibited Payments from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
5 April 2018	Former UAW Official Pleads Guilty to Accepting Illegal Payments from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
8 May 2018	Tribute to Chuck Hall	Congressional Record: Rep. Sander Levin
15 May 2018	In Tribute to John Drew	Congressional Record: Rep. Gwen Moore
13 July 2018	Wife of Former UAW Vice President Sentenced to Prison for Criminal Tax Fraud	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
7 November 2018	Two Former Fiat Chrysler Executives and a Senior UAW Official Sentenced to Prison for Scheme to Bribe Union Officials	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
2 April 2019	Former UAW Vice President Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy with Fiat Chrysler Executives	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
5 August 2019	Former UAW Vice President Norwood Jewell Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring with Fiat Chrysler to Accept Illegal Payments	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
4 September 2019	Former Senior UAW Official Pleads Guilty to Taking Over $1.5 Million in Bribes and Kickbacks	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
13 September 2019	UAW International Board Member Arrested And Charged With Embezzling UAW Funds	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
22 October 2019	Former Senior UAW Official Pleads Guilty to Taking $123,000 in Bribes and Kickbacks	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
4 December 2019	Former UAW Vice President Pleads Guilty to Taking $250,000 in Bribes and Kickbacks	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
19 February 2020	Former Senior UAW Official Sentenced to 28 Months for Taking Over $1.5 Million in Bribes and Kickbacks	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
3 June 2020	Former UAW President Gary Jones Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement, Racketeering, and Tax Evasion	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan<
27 August 2020	Former International UAW President Charged With Conspiring to Embezzle Union Funds	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
30 August 2020	Former International UAW President Dennis Williams Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Embezzle Union Funds	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
17 November 2020	Former UAW Vice President Sentenced to 30 Months for Taking $250,000 in Bribes and Kickbacks	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
14 December 2020	The United States Reaches a Settlement with the United Auto Workers Union to Reform the Union and End Corruption and Fraud	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
27 January 2021	FCA US LLC CHARGED FOR MAKING ILLEGAL PAYMENTS TO UAW OFFICIALS	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
27 January 2021	Former UAW Official Who Cooperated Against Two UAW Presidents Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison and Directed to Pay $342,000 in Restitution	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
1 March 2021	FCA US LLC PLEADS GUILTY TO MAKING ILLEGAL PAYMENTS TO UAW OFFICIALS	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
2 March 2021	Former UAW Midwest CAP President Pleads Guilty to Embezzling UAW Funds and Evading Taxes	U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan
14 August 2023	Statement from President Joe Biden on the United Auto Workers and Big Three Contract Negotiations The middle class built America, and unions built the middle class. The need to transition to a clean energy economy should provide a win-win opportunity for auto companies and unionized workers.	Press Release (text) Publisher: The White House Byline: President Joe Biden Topic: UAW
24 August 2023	Proposed Exemption for Certain Prohibited Transaction Restrictions: United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (the UAW or the Applicant) Located in Detroit, Michigan As described in more detail below, the UAW is required to make certain contributions to the UAW Retirees Health Care Plan pursuant to a court-approved settlement agreement.	Federal Register Notice (text) Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration Byline: George Christopher Cosby Topic: UAW
5 October 2023	Tail Lights: Labor Changes Tactics Earlier this year the United Auto Workers union held its first election where a President was chosen directly by members' votes and not through delegates. Shawn Fain, a Stellantis worker from Kokomo, Indiana, won by a narrow margin in a contested runoff.	Commentary (text) Publisher: The Crittenden Automotive Library Byline: Bill Crittenden Topic: UAW
25 October 2023	Statement from President Joe Biden on Historic Tentative Agreement Between Ford and UAW This tentative agreement provides a record raise to auto workers who have sacrificed so much to ensure our iconic Big Three companies can still lead the world in quality and innovation.	Press Release (text) Publisher: The White House Byline: President Joe Biden Topics: UAW, Ford Motor Company
28 October 2023	Statement from President Joe Biden on Historic Tentative Agreement Between Stellantis and UAW This groundbreaking contract rewards the autoworkers who sacrificed so much to revive our auto industry with record raises, more paid leave, greater retirement security, and more rights and respect at work.	Press Release (text) Publisher: The White House Byline: President Joe Biden Topics: UAW, Stellantis
30 October 2023	Statement from President Joe Biden on Historic Tentative Agreement Between General Motors and UAW This historic tentative agreement rewards the autoworkers who have sacrificed so much with the record raises, more paid leave, greater retirement security, and more rights and respect at work.	Press Release (text) Publisher: The White House Byline: President Joe Biden Topics: UAW, General Motors
20 November 2023	Statement from President Joe Biden on the Ratification of the UAW’s Historic Agreements with the Big Three Automakers The UAW has announced that their dedicated union members who fought together, stood together, and walked the picket line together have now voted together to ratify their record contracts.	Press Release (text) Publisher: The White House Byline: President Joe Biden Topic: UAW