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→Postwar zenith
==Postwar zenith==
==Postwar zenith==
After the war, [[Walter Reuther]] won the race to be president of the UAW, and served for almost 25 years — from 1946 until his death in a small airplane accident in 1970 — leading the union during one of the most prosperous periods for workers in U.S. history. The UAW was a power in the Democratic party nationally, with Reuther its spokesman. It supported the programs of the [[New Deal Coalition]]. strongly supported civil rights (it was one of the first unions to welcome black members), and strongly supported Lyndon Johnson's [[Great Society]]. The UAW became strongly anti-communist after it expelled its Communist leaders in the late 1940s, and supported the Vietnam war and opposed the antiwar Democratic candidates.
After the war, [[Walter Reuther]] won the race to be president of the UAW, and served for almost 25 years — from 1946 until his death in a small airplane accident in 1970 — leading the union during one of the most prosperous periods for workers in U.S. history. The UAW was a power in the Democratic party nationally, with Reuther its spokesman. It supported the programs of the [[New Deal Coalition]]. strongly supported civil rights (it was one of the first unions to welcome black members), and strongly supported Lyndon Johnson's [[Great Society]]. The UAW became strongly anti-communist after it expelled its Communist leaders in the late 1940s, and supported the Vietnam war and opposed the antiwar Democratic candidates.
The UAW (and especially Reuther) promoted "[[Industrial Democracy]]", meaning a scheme whereby great national economic decisions would be made by new regulatory boards comprising industry, unions, and the government, perhaps with the addition of consumers and farmers. It was a utopian power grab that excited few rank and file members, who instead wanted higher wages and a better retirement deal. The concept of "Industrial Democracy" did not mean internal democracy in the union. The union was controlled by a few hundred local and district leaders, who controlled the locals below them and who in turn elected the top leaders.<ref>Boyle (1995)</ref>
Immediately after the war left-wing elements demanded a 30 hour week (for 40 hours pay), (called 30-40).<ref> Cutler, (2004)</ref> Reuther rejected 30-40 and decided to concentrate on total annual wages, displaying a new corporatist mentality that accepted management's argument that shorter hours conflicted with wage increases and other job benefits and abandoning the old confrontational syndicalist position that shorter hours drove up wages and protected against unemployment.
Immediately after the war left-wing elements demanded a 30 hour week (for 40 hours pay), (called 30-40).<ref> Cutler, (2004)</ref> Reuther rejected 30-40 and decided to concentrate on total annual wages, displaying a new corporatist mentality that accepted management's argument that shorter hours conflicted with wage increases and other job benefits and abandoning the old confrontational syndicalist position that shorter hours drove up wages and protected against unemployment.
During this time, UAW members became one of the best paid groups of industrial workers in the country — many buying second homes in the country, boats, and earning enough to move to the suburbs and send their children to college. The UAW negotiated a "job bank" whereby workers who were laid off would go to a location where they did nothing whatever, yet were paid almost their full wages and benefits and had the rights to be the first rehired.
During this time, UAW members became one of the best paid groups of industrial workers in the country — many buying second homes in the country, boats, and earning enough to move to the suburbs and send their children to college. The UAW negotiated a "job bank" whereby workers who were laid off would go to a location where they did nothing whatever, yet were paid almost their full wages and benefits and had the rights to be the first rehired.
The (UAW) supported liberalized trade during and after World War II more enthusiastically than any other union. UAW officials believed that freer trade would help create a high-wage, high-production, full-employment economy that would benefit not only automobile workers, but American consumers more generally. After the war, the UAW also organized workers in industries that depended on exports: agricultural implement, construction, and aerospace.<ref> Esposito, (2004)</ref>
The (UAW) supported liberalized trade during and after World War II more enthusiastically than any other union. UAW officials believed that freer trade would help create a high-wage, high-production, full-employment economy that would benefit not only automobile workers, but American consumers more generally. After the war, the UAW also organized workers in industries that depended on exports: agricultural implement, construction, and aerospace.<ref> Esposito, (2004)</ref>
==Decline after 1973==
==Decline after 1973==