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The Amazing History of
UAW Local 647
Origins
The Wright plant opened in June of 1941.
In January of 1942, 18 workers in the plant sent a letter to the UAW International Union along with their fees and requested to establish a local.
The Charter for Local 647 was officially adopted on February 9, 1942.
Having the Drive
Local 647 ratified their first contract on October 19, 1943.
The local elected its first officers with over 10,000 members voting on
February 23, 1944.
Since then, the local has fought many battles and achieved multiple records.
The Early Struggles with Racism
Wright Corporate policy was to hire African-Americans for foundry jobs only. Ernie Waits was the first worker fired for union organizing. Due to his effective efforts, they refused to bring him back on the job. The UAW responded by placing him on the international board.
Educational articles were ran constantly for the unity of ALL workers regardless of color. Local 647 actively worked towards this goal as well as community struggles for fair housing and fought against racial attacks.
The D-Day Strike was a malicious attempt by the corporate to segregate workers after Local 647 finally negotiated 7 black workers to machining jobs. White workers started to strike over the new diversity. Local 647 and the UAW International successfully waged a campaign to return the plant to full production. The defense of black workers' rights set an inspiring example, strengthening our union.
Plant Closed, but Local 647 Continued
The Wright plant closed in the spring of 1946, just as U.S. workers embarked on the biggest strike wave in U.S. history following WWII.
Local 647 was maintained by organizing workers in other plants forming our amalgamated local. From the late 1940's and early 1950's, our units consisted of:
Griffin Wheel Co., Cincinnati Testing Laboratories (a division of Studebaker/Packard), Schott Packard (Shop Mechanics), Interstate Automotive Parts, Lauren Brothers, Yellow Cab (Shop Mechanics), L.T. Patterson (Chrysler), Hess & Eisenhardt, Manor Catering, International Harvester.
In 1948, the General Electric Company established a military jet engine operation at the old Wright plant in Evendale, OH. The UAW won the NLRB bargaining election in October, 1949. The first contract between our union and GE was ratified on April 2, 1950.
Local 647 Broke Many Records
Local 647 was the largest union local in Ohio history with nearly 24,000 members at its peak.
Produced 1,000 14-cylinder Cyclone engines at its peak. Crushed production records with 50,000 Cyclone engines in 3.5 years.
Negotiated a contract with the Wright Corporation that netted the UAW members the highest basic wage scale in Cincinnati history.
Awarded "E" for Excellence award by the Army-Navy
Had the largest number of women industrial workers employed in Cincinnati history.
The Early Struggles with GE
From the beginning, GE had traditions in backwards and anti-union labor relations.
Local 647 was faced with 3 major obstacles when the plant re-opened:
The first was Boulwarism, which tried to sell workers that GE knew what was best for its workers.
The second was the McCarthy witch hunt, where employers and the government went on a campaign to accuse everyone who spoke out for the rights of workers of being communists.
Finally, the third was discrimination, GE refused to hire back black and women workers into jobs they were proven to already qualify for. African workers were only hired into the Service Shop, and women were only hired to spare parts and bench inspection jobs.
The 1952 Strike
In 1952, there was a 10 day strike. The major issues were wages based on the national average for aircraft workers, for a closed shop, elimination of merit-based wage increases.
However, due to a legal technicality, a Hamilton County court judge ordered the strikers back to work without resolution.
The Local 647 members continued to make engines despite a contract not being settled in 1952.
In 1953, Local leaders hoped the government would step in and force GE to bargain in good faith. Instead, the U.S. Air Force took the company's side and ordered shipment of engines on the 55th day of strike.
The Union made progress by winning automatic wage progression steps, the right to strike over unresolved grievances, and extension of seniority in shops.
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Continued Progress.
A 5-year contract was ratified in 1955 with GE.
Local 647 Joint Council of 1958-1959 achieved a high level of organizing. They produced a monthly paper, good participation amongst all units, set up the first recreation committee to organize softball and golf leagues, and they set up and reproduced local union bylaws for the first time.
While the Local continued to make progress, the struggles would soon appear in the mid 1960's.
The Fight Continued
In March, 1966 IAM was forced out on strike over unresolved grievances. In April, 1966 the UAW was also out on strike for the same refusal to discuss and resolve differences at the table.
Although being forced back to work by the Taft-Hartley Act invoked by President Johnson, in October, the UAW and IAM gained streamlining of the grievances procedure, job upgrades, and better safety rules.
Modest gains were made, but set up for a showdown with Boulwarism in 1969.
In October, 1969 the U.S. Court of Appeals in NY condemned GE's Boulwarism as unlawful. The decision dealt with unfair labor practice charges arising from the 1960's negotiations.
In 1976, Local 647 conducted a strike, but only had modest gains in contract language around shift changes, expedited arbitration, pay for subsequent day dispensary time, and an agreement to review jobs. 17 jobs were upgraded.
In 1986, GE provoked a strike and then tried to sue our local for the entire amount of its treasury. The court ruled it baseless and that the strike was legal.
In February, 1988 Local 647 went on an 8 week strike against GE over unresolved grievances and job combination prevention. During this strike, a local union member, Judy Hurst, was arrested and beaten by Evendale police. The women in our local organized a campaign against police brutality with a protest march, media releases, community outreach, and participation in Evendale City Council meetings.
The Early 90s
Although there were plant shutdowns ceasing some units in Local 647 through the 1950s-80s, new plants were organized into the local.
In the early 90's, Local 647 consisted of 5 units.
Unit #2: GE Parts Distribution Center - Erlanger, Kentucky - Chartered in 1985
Unit #3: Buckley Manufacturing Company - Cincinnati, Ohio - Chartered in 1960
Unit #5: T.W. Smith Engine Company - Cincinnati, Ohio - Chartered in 1974
Unit #7: GE Jet Engine Plant - Evendale, Ohio - Chartered in 1949
Unit #11: ARA formally Manor Catering - Evendale, Ohio - Chartered in 1951
April 26, 1992 is when Local 647 celebrated their 50th anniversary, they had official ceremonies, games, live music, refreshments, and exhibits. There was an overwhelming amount of support and attendance from the membership and guests.
At the 75th Year
As time changed, so did our Local.
In 2017, 75 years after our founding, we were amalgamated with 6 units.
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Unit #2: GE Distribution Center
Unit #3: Buckley Manufacturing Company
Unit #7: GE Aviation
Unit #11: Sodexo
Unit #14: SVS Vision
Unit#45: Jack Casino
Today
Our current units stand strong and continue the fight from the previous century, still enduring the struggles to provide non-discriminatory, fair waged, and safer working environments to our 4 remaining units.
Hard Rock Casino
SVS Vision
GE Aerospace Erlanger
GE Aerospace Evendale
As our struggles continue, we hope others will see the value in coming together and focusing on what it truly means to have rights as workers in a fast changing world built against it.
Working rights are human rights.
Are you ready to join the fight?
Historical accounts and photos were taken from the UAW Local 647 75th Anniversary publication.
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