The UAW Organizes Ford...
The workers at Buffalo Assembly plant were well aware of the successful organizing activities in Michigan. In December of 1936 the plant had been shut down due to a parts shortage created by a strike at Kelsey Hayes Wheel House Company in Detroit. The organizing events in Flint and Detroit made headlines throughout the U.S. When the UAW arrived in Buffalo, people were eager to sign up.
In 1937 organizing efforts began. UAW local 425 called its first public meeting on May 8th, at CIO headquarters in the Root Building on Chippewa Street. Only 20 of the 1,300 hourly workers attended the first meeting. This was the beginning of the Ford Service men harassing workers trying to organize.
The company harassed the workers in their efforts to organize and tried to stop any union involvement of their workers by spying on them and trying to intimidate them. Warnings of discharge and sabotage of workers jobs ensued. The National Labor Relations Board had to become involved in getting workers reinstated after they were fired for poor work when it was the company who had sabotaged the work. This practiced repeated itself with the NLRB having to get involved each time to get the workers their jobs back with back pay. The company went as far as hiring people to start fights with certain employees just so they could fire them for fighting on company property. The company fired 15 union activists before the layoffs for the model changeover. When it was time to recall workers, 69 were not recalled due to their union activity.
Although Ford continued to fight against the union the NLRB ordered reinstatement of those fired or not recalled for union activity. Thousands of workers won their jobs back with back pay. UAW membership shot up by 20,000 in February and March alone.
Locally UAW 425 had 100% membership by June of its 3200 workers. By July of 1941 all 69 workers were that were fired were reinstated. The UAW National Agreement won automatic check off dues, full time representation, wage increases, etc. Local officers were elected. World War II started and labor relations were put on hold.