HISTORY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

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History of Local 985

History of the National organization

Local 985 Headquarters, as it appeared in 1951

4 Past Presidents of Local 985

Lower right: Fred Schultz, President 1987-1995

2^nd from right: Rollie Cary, President 1981-1984

Lower left: John Ellis, President 1951-1981

2^nd from left: Robert Kutscheid, President 1984-1987

Significant Events, Local 985

November 25, 1941:

UAW Local 985 Charter adopted and signed by President

R. J. Thomas, (then) future President Walter P. Reuther,

Financial Secretary/Treasurer George F Addes, and the entire executive board of the International union UAW.

1944:

Twenty-eight year old Sammy Mackey elected first President of the new local union. Sammy had become a close personal friend of Walter Reuther and over the next 8 years would work feverishly to organize and build Local 985 from the ground to some 2000 members from over 40 plants.

October 31, 1952:

President Sammy Mackey (at 36 years of age) died suddenly and unexpectedly of a massive heart attack leaving behind a young wife Helen and three sons, Michael, Ronnie, and Dennis ages 9, 7, and 3 respectively. "Sammy gave the best years of his short life to humane causes both in and out of labor and we know now that the pace shortened his years." At that time there was no economic assistance planned or available to assist Helen Mackey with the raising of her three young sons considering the loss of their daddy. Trustee John Ellis worked hard for over 18 months to raise funds to assist with this cause.

1953: John Ellis elected President of Local 985

There are not enough words to express the years of hard work and dedication given to the labor movement and specifically to UAW Local 985 by this talented and driven Labor Leader. It was often said that "organizing" was John Ellis' middle name. On several occasions President Ellis was asked by Regional Director Marcellius Ivory to accept a position with the International Union. Each time John gratefully declined in favor of remaining as Local Union President and continuing to build the Local Union of his dreams. A book could easily be written about this great man, but suffice it for now to say that he remained president of Local 985 for almost 30 years and with the help of many others, succeeded in building this Local union to over 4800 members out of some 85 plants. Around 1979 the bottom seemed to fall out as plants began to close up and move south chasing cheap labor. In 1981 John Ellis retired, but in the same year he returned to assist with a very difficult case which he had been working on for months. John never made it back to the airport that evening as he suffered a third and this time fatal heart attack.

Significant Events, National Organization

May 1935

• The birth of the UAW. 200 delegates meet in Detroit and form the United Auto Workers Union. Francis Dillon is appointed by the AFL as the first president. In protest, John L. Lewis helps form the CIO.

1936

• The second UAW convention is held in South Bend, Indiana. UAW delegates achieve autonomy to elect their own executive board. Homer Martin elected president.
• Brief sit-downs occur at Bendix and Kelsey Hayes. General Motors workers begin a 44 day sit-down strike in Flint.

February 1937

• UAW negotiates its first contract in the agricultural implement industry following a 15 week strike at J.I. Case.
• As a result of a successful strike, Chrysler workers gain UAW recognition.
• North American Aviation (Rockwell International) win their first strike and gain UAW recognition.

May 1937

• Walter Reuther and other UAW organizers are beaten by the Ford security department in what has become known as the "Battle of the Overpass."

1938

• UAW is expelled from AFL membership and becomes a charter member of the CIO.
• R.J. Thomas is elected president.

1941

• Ford Workers gain recognition.

1941-1945

• UAW members support World War II by adopting a no strike policy and staffing industrial plants for war production. Thousands of women work in UAW represented plants producing war materials.

1946

• Walter Reuther is elected president.

1949

• Ford workers win the first company paid pension program in a mass productin industry and General Motors gain partially paid hospitalization insurance.

1955

• UAW members win supplemental unemployment benefits.
• AFL-CIO merge.

1960-1970

• UAW members win fully paid hospitalization and sick leave benefits, profit sharing at American Motors, early retirement at Harvester and less work time at Caterpillar. In all major industries, the UAW wins significant improvements for its membership
• UAW provides leadership in both the peace movement and the civil rights movement.

May 1970

• Walter and May Reuther are killed in an airplane crash.

1970

• Leonard Woodcock elected president of the UAW. UAW members win 30 and out retirement, improved insurances, significant cost of living and the unbroken Christmas holiday period after a lengthy strike at General Motors.

1977

• Douglas Fraser elected president of the UAW. Workers win job security protection, the right to participate in managerial decision, and improved economic benefits.

1980

• UAW negotiations help save the Chrysler Corporation and save tens of thousands of jobs.

1982

• UAW wins a 205 day strike at Caterpillar and successfully fights off corporate demands for concessions.

1983

• Owen Bieber elected president of the UAW. UAW negotiations focus on improved job security and education and training benefits for our members.

1986

• Canadian workers voluntarily withdraw from the UAW and form an independent union in Canada.

1995

• Steve Yokich is elected president of the UAW.

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