THE WORKERS' RIGHTS
BATTLE OF THE OVERPASS
BATTLE OF THE OVERPASS
What was a peaceful rally turned into one of the bloodiest battles to occur at the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford did not tolerate unions and since firing union workers in itself was illegal, Henry Ford hired thugs who assaulted the striking workers. Ford thought he could suppress the workers' movement through brute force, but despite his heavy-handed tactics he was unable to shake the workers' resolve.
"Organizing in a nutshell gives power over to the workers. Unions give workers the right to bargain over wages, time off, vacation, work conditions etc. Ford did not want the workers to be independent of his authority. He was the richest man in the world during the late '30s and early '40s, and with wealth comes control. Unions forced him into bargaining with his workers."
- Interview with Linda Joy Johnson, Master of Labor Relations at Wayne State University