A UAW Fight for Product Quality

Abstract

[Excerpt] Blytheville, Arkansas, a Bible belt community in a Right-to-Work state, is an unlikely site for a major labor dispute. But for almost a decade, it has witnessed a bitter struggle between an auto supply company and a small UAW local. UAW 1249's fight to win a contract is significant because of its persistence and because of the innovative tactics it has employed. Emphasizing the relationship between product quality and job security, UAW Local 1249 mounted an internal organizing campaign that focused on the company's long-standing indifference to quality control. This campaign could serve as a model for other local unions looking for ways to fight mismanagement.