UAW Ford Department Records
Collection
Identifier: LR000105
Scope and Contents
Important subjects in the collection:
Apprentices--United States
Automobile industry and trade--Safety measures
Automobile industry workers--effect of automation on
Automobile industry workers--health and hygiene
Collective bargaining--Automobile industry
Ford Motor Company
Industrial hygiene
Industrial safety
Insurance, Health
Pensions
Skilled trades
Social security
Strikes and lockouts--
Automobile industry
Wages--Automobile industry workers
Important corespondents in the collection: Ken Bannon Jesus Chantres Malcolm Denise Dan Forchione John Forsythe Richard Leonard Emil Mazey John Orr Vern Pa rrington Eugene Prato Victor Reuther Walter Reuther Nelson Samp Carl Stellato Peter Vranich
The papers in Part 1 of the UAW Ford Department Collection consist of contract negotiations, correspondence with locals, and other files related to department affairs under the leadership of Richard Leonard.
Important corespondents in the collection: Ken Bannon Jesus Chantres Malcolm Denise Dan Forchione John Forsythe Richard Leonard Emil Mazey John Orr Vern Pa rrington Eugene Prato Victor Reuther Walter Reuther Nelson Samp Carl Stellato Peter Vranich
The papers in Part 1 of the UAW Ford Department Collection consist of contract negotiations, correspondence with locals, and other files related to department affairs under the leadership of Richard Leonard.
The papers in Part 2 of the UAW Ford Department Collection consist of general correspondence, reports, minutes, correspondence with locals, negotiations material, especially relative to the 1976 contract, benefits packages, and other files documenting the activities of the department under the leadership of both Richard Leonard and Ken Bannon.
Series Description: Series 1: Administration, 1948-1981 Series 2: Locals and Regions, 1942-1981 Series 3: Negotiations, 1941-1976 Series 4: Subject Files, 1941-1978
Series Description: Series 1: Administration, 1948-1981 Series 2: Locals and Regions, 1942-1981 Series 3: Negotiations, 1941-1976 Series 4: Subject Files, 1941-1978
Dates
- 1941 - 1981
Creator
- International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. Ford Department (Organization)
Language of Materials
The records are in English.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Use
Refer to the Walter P. Reuther Library
Rules for Use of Archival Materials.Restrictions: Researchers may encounter records of a sensitive nature — personnel files, case records and those involving investigations, legal and other private matters. Privacy laws and restrictions imposed by the Library prohibit the use of names and other personal information which might identify an individual, except with written permission from the Director and/or the donor.
History
The UAW signed its first contract with Ford Motor Company in 1941 after years of confrontation between labor and management. The first director of the UAW Ford Department was Richard Leonard, a welder from Ohio who had been active in organizing automobile industry workers since the 1930s. A casualty of UAW factionalism, Leonard lost his position to Highland Park Local 400 president Ken Bannon in 1947, who remained director until his retirement in 1980. The UAW Ford Department achieved many gains for Ford employees, including a pension plan, health care benefits, workplace health and safety protection, skilled trades recognition, a shortened work week, more paid days off, supplemental unemployment benefits, and a guaranteed annual income credit.
Extent
62 Linear Feet (18 MB, 53 SB)
Abstract
The UAW signed its first contract with Ford Motor Company in 1941 after years of confrontation between labor and management. They achieved many gains for Ford employees, including a pension plan, health care benefits, workplace health and safety protection, skilled trades recognition, a shortened work week, more paid days off, supplemental unemployment benefits, and a guaranteed annual income credit. Their records document department affairs under the leadership of Richard Leonard and Ken Bannon.
Arrangement
Part 2
Arranged in 4 series - Series 1 (Boxes 1-6), Series 2 (Boxes 6-30), Series 3 (Boxes 30-35), and Series 4 (Boxes 35-47).
Transfers
A large number of Ford local contracts have been placed in the Archives Library, and a few photographs, audio tapes and buttons may be found in the Archives Audiovisual Collection.
- Title
- UAW Ford Department Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Collection Description/Finding Aid prepared by Katy Hayes.
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Walter P. Reuther Library Repository
Contact:
5401 Cass Avenue
Detroit MI 48202 USA
5401 Cass Avenue
Detroit MI 48202 USA