Workers at the General Motors factories in Flint, Michigan, eagerly joined the CIO\'s United Automobile Workers (UAW) union. They demanded that the company recognize the UAW, but officers of General Motors refused to meet with union representatives. This was a violation of the Wagner Act and in January 1937, the UAW called a strike against the company. “Get out. If you cannot get it out, there are people outside who will get it out” That was their theme (pg 440). The workers refused to leave the factories; instead they put away their tools and sat down. They were using the time on planning how to make their liberties become reality. Finally General Motors went to court and got a ruling against the strikers. The workers were ordered to leave the GM factories by February 3. President Roosevelt asked for a peaceful end to the strike. A week later General Motors recognized the union and agreed to bargain with it. The UAW and the CIO had won a major victory. In 1937 nearly 5 million workers took part in some kind of industrial action and almost 3 million became union members. The CIO unionism had a profound impact on the daily lives of millions of ordinary workers; they had their greatest impact inside the factory itself (pg 444).

As portrayed by Sinclair Lewis in 1922 in the novel the “Babbitt” George F. Babbitt viewed union members as useless citizens “He hated them, because they were poor, because they made him feel insecure. Damn loafers! Wouldn’t, be common

The Great Depression began leaving millions jobless, business executives were seen as leaders and union members were referred to dangerous radicals. However this changed when Americans saw that these businesses could not beat out the depression and they started to favor the unions. In 1932 the Norris-La Guardia Act was passed in favor of labor unions. This act protected unions be decreasing management’s ability to obtain a court injunction to stop union activities. Before this act, employers could easily get an injunction to stop strikes, picketing and membership drive. This was the start of a new democratic industry in which workers had a voice to speak their demands without fear. In the f

Some topics in this essay:
African Americans, Roosevelt NRA, Mexican Americans, Mexican American, , Guardia Act, Standards Act, George Babbitt, UAW CIO, Act January, african americans, mexican americans, labor movement, african americans mexican, americans mexican americans, americans mexican, america’s labor movement, american workers, mexican american, america’s labor, protecting security, workers join unions, democratic government, industry workers,