UAW sit-down strikes

The UAW sit-down strikes were a series of labor strikes conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW) in the 1930s. These strikes were significant because they marked a turning point in the labor movement in the United States. The UAW used the tactic of occupying factories and refusing to work, which put pressure on the management to negotiate with the workers. The most famous of these strikes was the Flint sit-down strike of 1936-1937, where workers at General Motors plants in Flint, Michigan, occupied the factories for over 40 days. This strike ultimately led to the recognition of the UAW as the bargaining agent for GM workers and paved the way for improved working conditions and higher wages for auto workers across the country. The UAW sit-down strikes demonstrated the power of collective action and helped to establish the UAW as a major force in the labor movement.