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 autowork strike ended on February 11, 1937.
Manufacturing made up 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 triggered the Great Depression. GM did as well, removing their more expensive models from their more expensive ones. They sped up manufacturing to a stumbling pace after stripping down their remaining models and accelerating production to a stumbling pace. They rehire employees back, but they did so at lower pay and didn't consider seniority when they did.
The Wagner Act, 1935, made it possible for employees to legally organize and join labour unions. Conditions in 1936 reached a volatile and tense pace. Workers had been organized before, and they had been standing in picket lines that put not only their jobs in jeopardy but also their lives.
However, Sit-ins did have the opportunity to shut down the plant entirely without any replacement employees crossing picket lines. GM workers took up residence in the Flint, Michigan Body Plant Number 1, after a plan to walk out was derailed. Their sit-in lasted 44 days and brought production to a halt, but not only GM but also the entire auto industry.
The strike made The United Auto Workers (UAW) union the sole bargaining agent for GM autoworkers, according to the strike. The observance is most well known in Flint, Michigan, and other cities that have a GM auto plant.
How to celebrate #nationalwhiteshirtday
- Learn more about labor unions' history and how they've influenced change in working conditions
- Learn about manufacturing and skilled jobs in the United States
- Describe the history of someone who has helped shift a workforce for the better
- Share your work experience. To post on social media, use #NationalWhiteShirtDay
History of national white shirt day has spanned history
On February 11, 1948, Bert Christenson, a member of UAW Local 598, founded National White Shirt/White T-shirt Day.
White shirt FAQ
Does the United Car Workers still exist? Q. Does the United Automobile Workers still exist?
A. Yes. Yes. It now includes aerospace and agricultural Implementation employees, but it does not include aerospace and agricultural Implementation employees.
Q. Why is it called White Shirt Day?
A. Only foremen and supervisors were allowed to wear white shirts at the time of the GM strike. If all the employees had white shirts, they wouldn't fire them all.
Q. What is the difference between a sit-in and a picket line?
A. Sitting is when employees are on-site but have suspended work to gain the opportunity to have their questions heard. The workers are often outside the site for a strike, often with signs that state their reasons for striking.
