Looking Forward To...

Well I've been working on my book review for the last couple days, that's coming together, but what I'm most excited for is my paper tomorrow. I feels like it's been two weeks since I turned it in so I'm glad it's right around the corner.

Done

Well it's 5:54 am and I've been working on the rough draft since 7 pm yesterday. I'm gonna go back to my dorm do some more homework and probably not sleep, I'll see you guys in 2 and a half hours.

PS I like the way my paper turned out, I'm pleasantly surprised. =)

Stay Strong Everyone

It's now 8:31 pm, I'm in the union writing my paper. I can tell already that this is going to be a late night. I just figured I'd post this to support anyone else also writing their paper. Stay strong everyone, if I can do it you most definitely can too.

By the way, if you'd like to join me I'm in the basement of the MSU union in the heritage lounge. See everyone in class on Tuesday.

Running into problems

     I've been trying to organize what I've found to figure out what to pursue further. There are so many aspects to the strikes in 1937, I really don't know what to talk about. From what I've gathered there was a lot of talk about striking for union rights, but the most interesting info comes from the fact that it wasn't just the strikers that helped promote unionism. The woman's auxiliary played a huge factor in helping the strikers maintain their stance. Things like bringing food to the different plants, forming 6 deep protest lines to stop the police from tear gassing the men inside, and keeping the hopes of the residence of Flint alive. A quote that I pulled from a news article titled How the Famous Flint Auto Auxiliary Does It by Genora Johnson said "we do not to stop until unionism is brought to every home in Flint". It just emphasizes the fact that it wasn't just the workers who need the union, but the town itself.

Hopefully this is something I can run with. Let me know what you think.

-Josh

Some New Motivation

     It's been 1 day short of a month since my last blog post. I'm embarrassed to say that along with forgetting about it, I haven't had much of anything to report. In all honestly I've been focusing on my other classes. I know my procrastination will probably bite me in the ass, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

     As of today I went the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University, and now I'm kicking myself in the ass because I should have gone sooner. These archives are amazing period. From one collection I found more information then I've could have ever imagined. Yesterday I was sitting in my dorm wondering if I would be able to finish the project, but now I just wish I had more time. Once I get everything I've gathered today in order more info will come. Blog you soon.


- Josh

Photo

I found this while looking through the Wayne State Library resources

(11371) Auto Industry, Unemployment, 1956

Posted August 25th, 2009 by eclemens

in 

 

Members of a "task force" created to combat unemployment in the auto industry, including United Auto Workers union officials and mayors of midwestern cities.
Left to right: Mayor Albert Zack, Hamtramck, Michigan; Mayor Frank Ziedler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Mayor Ollie Czelusta, Toledo, Ohio; Mayor George Algoe, Flint, Michigan; Walter Reuther, president of the UAW; Governor G. Mennen WIlliams of Michigan; William E. Steiner, Mayor of Muskegon, Michigan; Emil Mazey, secretary-treasurer of the UAW; Leonard Woodcock, vice-president of the UAW. Members not shown include the mayors of South Bend, Indiana; Detroit, Michigan; and Pontiac, Michigan.




compliments of the Wayne State Library

The Finale of my paper

I really want to put this quote near the end of my paper.

Michael Moore: So this was GM chairman Roger Smith. And he appeared to have a brilliant plan: First, close 11 factories in the U.S, then open 11 in Mexico where you pay the workers 70 cents an hour. Then, use the money you've saved by building cars in Mexico to take over other companies, preferably high-tech firms and weapons manufacturers. Next, tell the union you're broke and they happily agree to give back a couple billion dollars in wage cuts. You then take that money from the workers, and eliminate their jobs by building more foreign factories. Roger Smith was a true genius.

It isn't that it encompasses my whole paper, its just part of the affect GM had on Flint.