As I mentioned in the previous post, the Great Depression had a tremendous impact on the automobile industry. The extreme economic circumstances forced large automakers to make significant cuts, and general working conditions for laborers in the auto industry worsened. The low wages and long hours caused unrest among the workforce in the industry. These poor conditions and discontented workers had a lasting impact after the Great Depression, particularly in terms of unionization. After the nation pulled itself out of the deepest parts of the Depression, workers began to demand more for themselves through strikes and sit-ins, and the United Auto Workers was born.
The UAW was founded in 1936, and it quickly became an enormous force in the automobile industry. By 1941, workers in each of the Big Three automakers—GM, Chrysler, and Ford—were organized under the UAW. In many ways, the example set by the UAW in the auto industry helped create a standard for collective bargaining in other industries, and by 1943 the UAW had a membership of over 1 million workers across various industries (Lichtenstein, 2004). It remained the nations largest union throughout the 1940s and 50s.
The UAW not only helped workers make necessary improvements in their working conditions, but more importantly, it acted as an important political and social force. A significant portion of the UAW membership was comprised of European immigrants as well as African Americans (Lichtenstein, 2004). Unionization gave these groups a voice and a sense of control in their lives, which paved the way into the civil rights movements in later decades.
While the UAW helped give representation to minority groups, it was also an important advocate for women in the workplace. The document displayed to the left shows a telegram from 1943 sent from the UAW Local 599 president to the National War Labor Board encouraging them to hear a case about equal pay for women. This is an example of the way that the UAW advocated for these groups, and provided them a voice that they would not have otherwise. The UAW was a hugely powerful group at this time, and they were able to use their influence to press for equality among different groups in the workplace—an argument that is still being fought today.
The UAW was founded in 1936, and it quickly became an enormous force in the automobile industry. By 1941, workers in each of the Big Three automakers—GM, Chrysler, and Ford—were organized under the UAW. In many ways, the example set by the UAW in the auto industry helped create a standard for collective bargaining in other industries, and by 1943 the UAW had a membership of over 1 million workers across various industries (Lichtenstein, 2004). It remained the nations largest union throughout the 1940s and 50s.
The UAW not only helped workers make necessary improvements in their working conditions, but more importantly, it acted as an important political and social force. A significant portion of the UAW membership was comprised of European immigrants as well as African Americans (Lichtenstein, 2004). Unionization gave these groups a voice and a sense of control in their lives, which paved the way into the civil rights movements in later decades.
While the UAW helped give representation to minority groups, it was also an important advocate for women in the workplace. The document displayed to the left shows a telegram from 1943 sent from the UAW Local 599 president to the National War Labor Board encouraging them to hear a case about equal pay for women. This is an example of the way that the UAW advocated for these groups, and provided them a voice that they would not have otherwise. The UAW was a hugely powerful group at this time, and they were able to use their influence to press for equality among different groups in the workplace—an argument that is still being fought today.