Walter Reuther

... on this election.

So the two groups that they are directing their hate to, that, that they're using to rile up their base and motivate their base are trans kids and Muslims, which is ironic because 25 years ago George W. Bush when he was governor embraced, or when he was president and even as governor, embraced the Muslim community.

It was growing even back then.

And because of the religious affiliation, because Jesus is a prophet under Islam, because they share the same social values and it was believed that, you know, recruiting Muslims into the Republican Party was a good idea.

Uh, they were the union at the largest, uh, American employer, uh, General Motors at the time.

Uh, they won contracts, uh, during this period, uh, that really set the models, set the pattern, uh, for union contracts elsewhere at a time when the workforce was, uh, about one-third unionized and in, uh, i- in heavy industry it was, uh, almost fif- 50% unionized.

So, uh, y- and this really, uh, during the tenure of the legendary president of that time, Walter Reuther, uh, became, uh, uh, you know, m- in, in many ways, in many ways I call him sort of the anchor tenant at that point in the House of American liberalism.

Okay.

[laughs]

But like, definitely like some other, some like in-person stuff I'd, I'd love to do.

I've been filming...

Shout out Katie Osaurus.

There is a story, uh, they tell in Detroit.

Early 1950s, a Ford executive is walking Walter Reuther, the head of the Auto Workers Union, through a brand-new automated engine plant.

Machines are everywhere.

Hardly a worker in sight.

And sadly, it's also another example of that, that we had to spend time talking about it and fighting on it.

And, um, that's why we have to finish the work that Walter Reuther started with going to the Big Three and saying, "We should all go to Washington together and get," what we call Medicare for all now, but healthcare for all, um, and pensions for all.

And the Big Three auto companies at the time said, "Oh, no, no, that sounds too socialist, so we're not gonna do that." So he says, "Fine, I'll take it from you.

I'm gonna go out on the picket line and win it in the contract." But what we have to understand as workers is that our job is not done.

You know? And, and it couldn't be clearer, you know? And the NLRB and this idea of elections and to honor elections, this is not some foreign notion.

You know, this has been a part of American history ever since we had factories, for God's sake, you know? And, and as I say, a union like the UAW, one of the ones that never got corrupted, never had any gangster element, no one could ever put it down, you know, uh, Walter Reuther and so forth, the great tradition, uh, you know, I think it's terrific that they're now lending support to academic workers to get a better deal so they can do their job.

Yeah.

Well, Kate, I know you have to run, so I wanna thank you for coming.