Timeline that explores women's impact in the UAW throughout history
Created by uaw on Mar 10, 2011
Last updated: 05/23/11 at 11:17 AM
Lillian Hatcher, first African American assistant director of the UAW Women's Bureau .
Elizabeth Bunn, elected first female UAW Sec-Treasurer.
Carrolyn Forrest elected UAW vice-president.
First UAW contract with Big 3 automakers to prohibit sexual harassment.
UAW Women’s Department is instrumental in supporting Marchc in Washington, D.C.
UAW has 173,800 female members and nearly 6000 women in union membership positions
UAW President Douglas Fraser issues administrative letter calling on locals to treat sexual harassment as a grievable issue.
Odessa Komer begins efforts to make sexual harassment a bargaining issue, resulting in1981 administrative letter.
UAW Women’s Department instrumental in passage of Pregnancy Disability Act.
Odessa Komer named a UAW vice-president when Olga Madar retires; reelected five times, first women to have major bargaining role, and to head-up Aerospace and IPS Departments
Woodcock sends Administrative Letter #1 directions for making local FP committees representative of local union membership.
Adoption of stronger UAW Fair Practices Policy – aimed at internal UAW local union fair practices
Olga Madar elected first female vice-president.
UAW first major union to endorse Equal Rights Amendment.
Carrolyn Forrest is first female service representative for the International
Olga Madar, first female member of IEB
UAW Women’s Department works for passage of Equal Rights Act
UAW Women’s Department works for passage of Equal Pay Act
UAW Convention amends article 44 to require locals with female members to have women’s committees
UAW Convention resolution urging locals to establish women’s committees
Separate Women’s Department in UAW
UAW President Walter Reuther issues administrative letter calling for end to sexual discrimination.
UAW local 3 persuades management to adopt plant-wide seniority to avoid layoffs that often first affected units with high numbers of women.
100,000 women are UAW members.
The National Committee for Fair Play in Bowling – Reuther, Addes, Oliver, Thomas, Richard Leonard, Victor Reuther, Olga Madar, to force ABC to cease discrimination, working with Recreation Committee, Madar
The UAW forms its Fair Practices Department to promote fair employment practices and eliminate discrimination. Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Labor Archives at Wayne State University.
An estimated 300,000 women have taken jobs in automotive factories, join the UAW and do jobs that were previously for men only – the famous “Rosie the Riveters.” Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Labor Archives at Wayne State University.
World War II ends and women lose thousands of jobs as men return from the military.
First UAW Women’s Conference Initial main issues – “Equal pay for Equal Work” limitations on women’s hours of work and occupation discrimination
Women’s Bureau formed, Millie Jeffrey is first director.
UAW wins NLRB case against GM to win equal pay for women for doing comparable jobs with men.
Pearl Harbor bombed and World War II.
Women begin to take jobs in automotive factories, join the UAW and do jobs that were previously for men only – the famous “Rosie the Riveters.”
Women, UAW members and supporters, succeed in their efforts and organize Ford.
Catherine Springer on first bargaining committee at Briggs Co.
Women, UAW members and supporters, begin efforts to organize Ford Motor Co. Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Labor Archives at Wayne State University.
Battle of the Overpass. Women are present as supporters and roughed-up by Ford Motor Company Service Department thugs.
The Flint Sit-Down strike, a pivitol event in American labor history, ends with the help of the UAW Women's Auxiliary, which provided greatly needed support to the men inside the GM facilities. Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Archives at Wayne State University.
The UAW Women's Auxiliary provided greatly needed support to the men inside the GM facilities during the Sit-Down Strike. Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Archives at Wayne State University.
The Flint Sit-Down Strike at General Motors' facilities in that Michigan city, begins on Dec. 30, 1936. Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Archives at Wayne State University.
UAW becomes an independent union, affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Unions (CIO).
UAW founded and affiliated with the AFL. Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Archives at Wayne State University.
Matilda Rabinowitz was an International Workers of the World member who led the first auto strike in history at the Studebaker Plant, Detroit. Photo courtesy of the Walter P. Reuther Labor Archives at Wayne State University.
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