In one of the first sit-down strikes in the United States, autoworkers occupied
the General Motors Fisher Body Plant Number One in Flint, Michigan. 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 assembly-line workers from injury. In all, the strike lasted
44 days.
General Motors’ workers celebrate the end of the historic Flint Sit-
Down Strike in 1937. As a result, 100,000 workers gained the right
to union representation.
Cool here to say…..I remember the first “strike” I was involved in! It was in the summer 1961 and I was just 14 years old! It took place at “Chautauqua Lanes” on North Chautauqua (go figure!) in North Portland! It was my first attempt at bowling and I barely broke 100 but I still remember the resounding sound resonating throughout the ally as the pins went flying!
From all of us here at PDX Retro, have a safe and Happy New Year!