United Steelworkers Honor Award Medal for Winning "Sit Down Strike," 1937

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Artifact Overview

Sit-down strikes became a successful strategy for labor organizers in the 1930s. These strikes required employees to stop working and simply "sit down" at their workstations -- effectively stopping production and taking over the workplace. General Motors workers staged a sit-down strike at a plant in Flint, Michigan, in 1936-1937. The 44-day strike forced GM to recognize the United Auto Workers union.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Medal

Subject Date

1937

Place of Creation

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

87.55.13

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Oscar Paskal.

Material

Pewter (Tin alloy)

Dimensions

Diameter: 1.5 in

Inscriptions

Obverse: HONOR AWARD / FOR / WINNING / SIT DOWN STRIKE / 1937 Reverse: THE OFFICERS OF YOUR INTL. UNION / APPRECIATE/ YOUR / LOYALTY / IN THE FIGHT / TO IMPROVE / AMERICAN LABOR CONDITIONS
United Steelworkers Honor Award Medal for Winning "Sit Down Strike," 1937