WALTER REUTHER

The great union leader had been shot at though his home window in an attempted assassination. Fortunately, the bullet missed, but national tension was very high. In the half of the 20th century a not uncommon way of busting unions was to hire goons to assault and/or kill union leaders and organizers. A not uncommon method of putting pressure on companies was for unions to have goons sabotage machinery, burn facilities, and destroy or ruin inventory. The WWII period saw this class warfare violence for settling labor issues diminish greatly, and the attack on Reuther potentially might have been the trigger to return to the pre war days of much violence in labor disputes. Mrs. Roosevelt and other national leaders weighed in by many means to prevent that. They were successful, and although there have been a few throwbacks, the class warfare of physical violence is no longer a characteristic of American labor relations. The class warfare has moved to the courts, the lobbyists, campaign organizing and contributions and economic intimidation.

The automobile assembly lines of Detroit, had been planned to be converted to factories to produce a huge supply of planes, tanks, trucks and guns which were instrumental in winning the Second World War.

The “bread box” was a metal box used in most homes to keep bread fresh before refrigerators were so large and prevalent.

Before the civil rights act was passed, most labor unions will racist and discriminated against black workers. The United Auto Workers union was an exception and Reuther was a strong advocate of desegregation and equal rights.

This quotation illustrates one end of the range of union leadership regarding communism. Some union leader were communists; some were pro Marxist but against the Russian style of dictatorial communism. Others did not care for Communism at all but saw the communists as an effective tool that really frightened American corporate management and politicians so they looked reasonable by comparison and they therefore wanted the communists around. Last were those like Reuther who was aggressively anti-communist and wanted labor to expel them whenever they turn up. However, what is ironic is that Reuther himself was labeled a Communist by many right wingers who also used Reuther’s “duck” test. Reuther wanted a national health insurance system; so did the Communists. He advocated and end to segregation; so did the Communists. He fought for workers having a say in management, a classic communist demand, and many other similarities.

The “bread box” was a metal box used in most homes to keep bread fresh before refrigerators were so large and prevalent.

Before the civil rights act was passed, most labor unions will racist and discriminated against black workers. The United Auto Workers union was an exception and Reuther was a strong advocate of desegregation and equal rights.

The automobile assembly lines of Detroit, had been planned to be converted to factories to produce a huge supply of planes, tanks, trucks and guns which were instrumental in winning the Second World War.

This quotation illustrates one end of the range of union leadership regarding communism. Some union leader were communists; some were pro Marxist but against the Russian style of dictatorial communism. Others did not care for Communism at all but saw the communists as an effective tool that really frightened American corporate management and politicians so they looked reasonable by comparison and they therefore wanted the communists around. Last were those like Reuther who was aggressively anti-communist and wanted labor to expel them whenever they turn up. However, what is ironic is that Reuther himself was labeled a Communist by many right wingers who also used Reuther’s “duck” test. Reuther wanted a national health insurance system; so did the Communists. He advocated and end to segregation; so did the Communists. He fought for workers having a say in management, a classic communist demand, and many other similarities.