United Auto Workers: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
<p align="center"> [[Image:Uaw_logo.jpg|thumb|Description]] </p> | <p align="center"> [[Image:Uaw_logo.jpg|thumb|Description]] </p> | ||
<p align="center"> [[Image:UAW_strike_1.jpg|thumb|Description]] | <p align="center"> [[Image:UAW_strike_1.jpg|thumb|Description]] </p> | ||
| Line 27: | Line 27: | ||
The UAW has always been a proponent of equality among all people, across both race and gender. In fact, it was one of the earliest key unions that allowed for the organization of African Americans, and has always taken a stance against any racial discrimination faced by its workers. For example, in 1939 when black workers were confronted with discrimination during a UAW Convention in St. Louis, the union decided to never have a convention in this place again. In the 1950's and 60's, the UAW participated in rallying in support of the Civil Rights Act, and were there to march alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Also, more recently in 2003, as the University of Michigan's affirmative action initiatives were being questioned by the Supreme Court, the UAW was there to lend its support for these programs. | The UAW has always been a proponent of equality among all people, across both race and gender. In fact, it was one of the earliest key unions that allowed for the organization of African Americans, and has always taken a stance against any racial discrimination faced by its workers. For example, in 1939 when black workers were confronted with discrimination during a UAW Convention in St. Louis, the union decided to never have a convention in this place again. In the 1950's and 60's, the UAW participated in rallying in support of the Civil Rights Act, and were there to march alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Also, more recently in 2003, as the University of Michigan's affirmative action initiatives were being questioned by the Supreme Court, the UAW was there to lend its support for these programs. | ||
Moreover, in a world in which to this day | Moreover, in a world in which women face discrimination to this day in the workplace, the UAW has never faltered to support women in the types of jobs that have been considered generally not appropriate for women. Before World War II, and the significant need for women in the labor force, women only accounted for about 5% of the auto workers. By 1944, although they were still a minority of this labor force, women's participation had increased and by this time they represented approximately 35% of the UAW's members. However, at this point in time, women were making little more than half as much as men did in a week. Moreover, once the war ended, many womed retreated from the work place back to their homes and their former role in working at home and taking care of the children. (A survey by the UAW, however, indicated that 85% of these women did not actually want to stop working.) Despite the widespread underrepresentation of women in the work force, the UAW has worked to garner equality for women in its union and in the workplace. In fact, with the UAW's monumental creation of a Women's Department in 1955, it was the first industrial union to create such a department. The UAW did this to help promote women's membership in the UAW, which was largely made up of male workers. Also, it has allowed women to take positions of leadership. | ||
==Modern Struggles== | ==Modern Struggles== | ||
Revision as of 06:11, 2 May 2006
History
The UAW was founded in 1935 in Detroit Michigan with the support of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). It achieved and initial victory through organization with several sit-down strikes in an Atlanta General Motors plant and in the Flint sit-down strike. It was in 1937 the the UAW strike against GM ended with this company's decision to recognize the UAW.
About the UAW
Who makes up the UAW
The UAW is made up of workers from many parts of the American economy. Workers belong to firms in sectors including the Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, Heavy Trucks, Farm and Heavy Equipment industries, other kinds of manufacturing, as well as Technical, Office, and Professional (TOP) [1]. At the present, there are about 640,000 active members (500,000 retired members) with members in US, Canada, Puerto Rico. The UAW consists of over 800 local unions, and is considered one of the largest unions in North America. Moreover, there exists a solidarity between the active and retired members of the UAW – many retired UAW members still take part in their union.
What the UAW does
The UAW is an organization that, through bargaining, works to obtain social and economic advances for working families and retired workers. The UAW has made several important advances through bargaining for its members such as: an insurance plan for industrial workers paid for by employers, cost-of-living allowances, product quality improvements, significant job and income security provisions, and widespread training and educational programs. However, bargaining is not the only focus of this union which also focuses on and has taken a part in many civil rights actions. Because the union is so large, most of its everyday actions take place on a local level, the local unions are fairly autonomous.
Race and Gender Issues
The UAW has always been a proponent of equality among all people, across both race and gender. In fact, it was one of the earliest key unions that allowed for the organization of African Americans, and has always taken a stance against any racial discrimination faced by its workers. For example, in 1939 when black workers were confronted with discrimination during a UAW Convention in St. Louis, the union decided to never have a convention in this place again. In the 1950's and 60's, the UAW participated in rallying in support of the Civil Rights Act, and were there to march alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Also, more recently in 2003, as the University of Michigan's affirmative action initiatives were being questioned by the Supreme Court, the UAW was there to lend its support for these programs.
Moreover, in a world in which women face discrimination to this day in the workplace, the UAW has never faltered to support women in the types of jobs that have been considered generally not appropriate for women. Before World War II, and the significant need for women in the labor force, women only accounted for about 5% of the auto workers. By 1944, although they were still a minority of this labor force, women's participation had increased and by this time they represented approximately 35% of the UAW's members. However, at this point in time, women were making little more than half as much as men did in a week. Moreover, once the war ended, many womed retreated from the work place back to their homes and their former role in working at home and taking care of the children. (A survey by the UAW, however, indicated that 85% of these women did not actually want to stop working.) Despite the widespread underrepresentation of women in the work force, the UAW has worked to garner equality for women in its union and in the workplace. In fact, with the UAW's monumental creation of a Women's Department in 1955, it was the first industrial union to create such a department. The UAW did this to help promote women's membership in the UAW, which was largely made up of male workers. Also, it has allowed women to take positions of leadership.
Modern Struggles
