National White Shirt Day/ White T-shirt Day
National White Shirt Day, also known as National White T-Shirt Day, commemorates the day a historic autoworker strike ended on February 11, 1937.
Manufacturing formed a significant portion of our workforce in the early part of the twentieth century. automakers laid-off employees and cut costs after the 1929 stock market crash sparked the Great Depression. GM did as well, removing their more expensive models from their more expensive ones. They stripped down their remaining models and sped up manufacturing to a stumbling pace. They recruited employees back, but they did so at lower pay and didn't consider seniority when they did.
The Wagner Act of 1935 allowed workers to legally organize and join labour unions. Conditions in 1936 reached a volatile and fast rate. Workers had been organized before, standing in picket lines that put not only their jobs in jeopardy but also their lives.
However, Sit-ins had the opportunity to shut down the plant entirely without any replacement employees crossing picket lines. After a scheme to walk out was derailed, GM workers took up residence in the Flint, Michigan Body Plant Number 1, GM workers took up residence. Their sit-in lasted 44 days and brought production to a halt, not only GM but also the entire auto industry.
The strike made United Auto Workers (UAW) union the sole bargaining agent for GM autoworkers in the United States. The observance is most prominent in Flint, Michigan, and other cities that have a GM auto plant.
How to celebrate #nationalwhiteshirtday. www.nationalwhiteshirtdaycom
- Learn more about the past of labor unions and how they've influenced change in working conditions
- Learn more about manufacturing and skilled jobs in the United States
- Share the history of someone who has helped shift a workforce for the better
- Share your work experience. To post on social media, use the hashtag #NationalWhiteShirtDay
The national white shirt day is the first national white shirt day in history
On February 11, 1948, Bert Christenson, a member of UAW Local 598, initiated National White Shirt/White T-shirt Day.
White shirt FAQ
Does the United Automobile Workers still exist? Q. Does the United Car Workers still exist?
A. Yes. Yes. Yes. Today, however, it also includes aerospace and agricultural Implementation employees.
Q. Why is it called White Shirt Day?
A. At the time of the GM strike, only foremen and supervisors were allowed to wear white shirts. If all the employees were wearing white shirts, they wouldn't fire them all.
Q. What is the difference between a sit-in and a picket line? Staff are on-site but have suspended work to gain the opportunity to have their questions heard, which is a sit-in. A. A sit-in is when employees are still on-site but have halted work to have their concerns heard. The workers on a picket line are often outside the site for a strike, often with signs that state their reasons for striking.
