White Shirt Day

1937 Flint sitdown strike.

White Shirt Day was first celebrated on Feb. 11, 1948 based on a suggestion from Local 598 member Bert Christenson. He wanted a way to honor the men and women who participated in the 1937 sitdown strike, which gained the UAW recognition as the sole bargaining agent for GM workers. White shirts are worn to work on the anniversary of the end of the strike. This action was intended to send a message to management that "blue collar" workers had earned the right to the same respect as their management counterparts. Today all over the Flint area, workers wear white shirts on Feb. 11.

Although originally a celebration of GM workers, the birth of the UAW has improved all workers’ lives. We encourage all UAW members to begin celebrating this important UAW anniversary. The rules in 1948 were simple and apply equally well to any workplace today.

White Shirt Day rules:

• Everyone wear a white shirt or blouse to work.
• Don’t get your shirt any dirtier than the boss gets his.
• Observe all safety rules.
• Observe all work rules, especially the rule calling for a clean work area.

Local 598 Sends Kids to YMCA Camp

For the third year in a row, Local 598 members in Flint, Mich., raised enough money to send an entire third grade class from Rankin Elementary School to the YMCA Storer winter education camp near Jackson. There the kids learn outdoor living skills and teamwork.

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