The Web site tracks the beginning of the Michigan Labor history. This saga begins with the CIO, a national labor organization that formed in 1935. It originally was called the "Committee for Industrial Organization" In 1886, thirteen national unions formed the American Federation of Labor, or AFL, which was a labor organization that primarily represented skilled labor. These skilled occupations were referred to in the nineteenth century as "crafts". Although the AFL did include unskilled laborers in its membership, the federation favored skilled craft unionism. But as America became more industrialized in the early twentieth century, mass production industries emerged, requiring a larger, less-skilled workforce in comparison with the number of traditional AFL members in craft unions. The CIO formed to promote the organization of workers in mass-production industries. Eight member unions that were in the AFL formed the CIO. Original founding members included major national unions representing mine workers, typographical employees, and the garment trades. The American labor movement was split in the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s between the AFL and the CIO regarding how best to organize workers, and how best to represent those worker unions. Eventually the ideological differences between the two organizations lessened, until they merged as the unified AFL-CIO in 1955. ...One Man brought the CIO here 1400 will keep it here From here you need to take the Newton Strike Virtual Tour, this will review the facts that led to the 1937 Strke that shook the world and Monroe see how the citizens felt and responded see how the wives reacted. Right up to the year 1945 when one worker asked management to renogiate the contract you see wages were frozen for the war effort. They refused and told him he had to work the weekend he refused and he picked up his tools and left and so did everyone else, it was known as the 1945 17 day walkout

Mission Statement

 

It is the mission of the Monroe County Labor Museum to provide a facility open to the public for the purpose of the following :

1. Preservation and display of local, regional and national labor history for present and future generations to view.

 

2. Provide a venue for a youth outreach program that educates our youth about labor's past history and present cause.

 

3. Provide an area for organized labor and the public to gather which will be immersed with labor history.

 

4. Provide a library and database for the research of labor history.

 

5. Provide a facility that will be self-sustainable and managed in an efficient manner.

 

Board Members:

 

Ken Boylan

2530 Kathleen

Monroe Mi 48161

UAW Local 723 Retiree 734-241-7012

ken.boylan@3-detc.com

 

Michael J. McCarty

724 Smith Street

Monroe Mi 48161

USW Local 2511

734-242-5760

mmccarty49@comcast.net

 

Dr. David E. Nixon

1555 S. Raisinville Rd.

Monroe Mi 48161

Monroe County Community College

 

dnixon@monroeccc.edu

 

Peter Perna

Monroe Bank & Trust

1555 S. Raisinville Rd.

Monroe Mi 48162

 

peter.perna@mbandt.com

Michael J. Smith

msmith@monroeuw.org

 

Camille Craycraft

Walter Reuther Library

Wayne State University

 

ccdesigner@mail.com

 

Web Page Hosting

Bill Conner President of Monroe Labor History Museum, you can contact me at 734.693.0446 and my email is lwconnerjr@mail.com. The visiting hours for our Museum are Monday thru Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Weekends need to be scheduled in advance.

President and StaffSecretary-Treasurer

Robert Hoffman 255 Ford Rd. Carlton, Mi 48117 USW Local 2511 734-654-3777

reh453@hotmail.com

 

 

President:

L. William Conner, Jr. 1883 Stumpmier Rd. Monroe Mi 48162 Monroe/Lenawee AFL-CIO CLC

lwconnerjr@mail.com

 

Vice President:

William R. Gulley, Jr. 12297 Laginess Rd. LsSalle Mi 48145 Walter Reuther Library Wayne State University 734-925-5463

aa8030@wayne.edu

Recording Secretary

Denise Brooks 2376 Hollywood Dr. Monroe Mi 48162 Monroe/Lenawee AFL-CIO CLC 734-457-5157

monroelabor museum@yahoo.com