History of UAW Local 325  (Portions of this article were taken from the UAW 50th anniversary book.)
Local 325 of the UAW was organized April 12, 1937.  The following issues led to the Local's organization: Ford's definition of an 8-hour work day, unfair time keeping, unhealthy and unsafe working conditions, no recall rights, no Supplemental Unemployment Benefit and no relief man.

Positive Outcomes of Organization
Previous to organization of Local 325, a Ford eight-hour day began sometimes at two in the morning, when a man could b roused out of bed on an emergency call and report to work for no extra pay.  They would officially be punched in for an eight-hour day although the workers would have to be there a half hour ahead of time to stock their jobs.  The timekeeper took down the shortest time a man could do the job in, not the average time, and increased the speed accordingly.  "With twenty minutes work out of the noon hour and a half hour extra in the morning, the 'eight hour day' began to grow."

Health and safety conditions at the plant were also a major concern.  During the summer, temperatures reached over 200 degrees in front of the oven.  Fans or air conditioning did not exist.  In the winter, the sheds were located outside in weather blow zero.  Lacking a union contract, the men continued to work.

Recall rights were also an important issue facing these workers.  If you were laid off, you had no recall rights.  If you were a friend or relative of someone in management, the company would call you back.  If a foreman got mad at a worker or wanted to hire a relative, the worker would be laid off.  Older workers were not wanted by the company; they were laid off and never recalled.  Otherwise you appeared at the gate and they would come and get you if they wanted you.

Another major concern was job security and steady income.  Every model change lasted between six to eight weeks.  Workers had no income during this time.  Organization brought workers Supplemental Unemployment Benefit pay.  This helped ease the fear of lack of income and losing their jobs.

Additional attention was also needed for a relief man.  If a worker couldn't work his job ahead, he couldn't go to the toilet or get a drink of water.  Because of these inhumane conditions and unhappy workers, a group of autoworkers began the organization of the Ford plant in St. Louis.  This group appealed to the UAW and was granted Local 325 charter in April 1937.

In December 1937, a court battle started and by July 1938, the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) handed down a decision in the union's favor.  Still the workers were not allowed to return back to work for three years because Ford dragged out a lengthy appeal to NLRB and the state supreme court. 

In 1941, Henry Ford finally signed a national agreement recognizing the UAW as the bargaining agent in all Ford Motor Company Plants.  In June, the strikers returned to work.  The strike lasted for three years and seven months and Ford paid $368,000 to returning strikers for violations.

During the time of the local strike, Homer Martin, at that time president of the UAW, split with the International Executive Board and attempted to pull the UAW locals that were organized out of the CIO and place them with the AFL.  Local 325 members decided to stay with the CIO and although there were a few locals who received their charter before Local 325, they went with the AFL and lost their charter.  They were reissued charters at a later date, but this left Local 325 as the oldest Ford local in the UAW.

Thinking Ahead
During World War II, the Ford plant closed at 4100 Forest Park Boulevard and the building was sold to the government as a warehouse.  Even though the plant was gone and the building was sold, the bargaining committee met with the plant manager and negotiated a local agreement to recall all the old plant workers with full seniority rights if Ford opened a plant in St. Louis in the future.  The members of this bargaining committee were: Bill Kimberling, Red Enos, Jess Olive, Tom Lamb and Tom Berry.  Five years later, Ford reopened a plant in St. Louis.  During the entire time that Ford was closed, about 150 members held meetings and paid their monthly dues.  As a result, this kept the local charter and the local agreement in force.  On January 27, 1947, the bargaining committee met with local management to get Ford to honor its commitment in the agreement that was previously made.  When the new plant opened in Hazelwood, the old plant workers were called back to work.

Working For The Future
During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the membership meetings were held in a garage behind the old Gulf station across from the plant.  In 1951, the membership wanted a place of their own; therefore they voted to pay an additional 50 cents a month to go into their building funds.  One level of the hall at 9144 Pershall Road was built from these funds.  In 1953, a second floor was added for office space.

Between 1952 and early 1954, the plant was on a two-shift operation with a membership of 3800.  On April 7, 1954, 1700 members were laid off.  The company tightened the work standards on the remaining 2100 members.  The standards caused the members to go out on strike again on July 19, 1954.  An agreement was reached in September 1954, and work continued for the next seven years.

Strike After Strike
After working seven years, the union struck again on July 26, 1961.  This strike lasted three months.  One major issue that lead to the strike was relief time.  This strike was the longest by our local since the organizing strikes.  Because of this strike, our members were given extra time on relief.  In 1966, production was increased again and a second shift was added.  The total membership increased to 2500.

In 1967, Walther Reuther (UAW President since the early 40s) was invited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Local 325.  During the same year, the International Executive Board picked Ford Motor Company as the strike target.  Negotiators could not agree on numerous issues.  Due to these unresolved issues, Local 325 members, along with other Ford Locals, went on strike on September 15, 1967.  At that time strike benefits were $30 a week for single, and $40 for married members.  The strike ended on November 8, 1967.

Some of the highlights of the 1967 agreement included: longer cafeteria hours; the installation of vending machines; the first coverall agreement and scheduled spray booth cleaning.

Tragedy For The UAW And A Historical First
On May 9, 1970, UAW President, Walter Reuther and his wife, May, were enroute to the UAW Education Center in Black Lake, Michigan when their jet crashed.  Both Walter and May were killed.  Reuther was world renowned for his forward thinking and his fight for UAW workers. Walter Reuther was one of the most progressive labor leaders of the 20th century.  He was responsible for making UAW one of the best unions in the world.

In 1973, women were hired into the production departments for the first time in the history of Local 325.  The first pioneers proved to Ford Motor Company and their male counterparts that women could indeed do the same operations and work with the same quality, and high standards as any other worker.

By 1973 and early 1974, the energy crisis hit the country.  Gas prices doubled and automobile sales took a nose-dive.  On January 28, 1974, the plant lost the night shift.  On September 15, 1976, once again our members were on strike.  After the strike, on of the first items on the agenda was the formation of the Women's Committee.

On April 4, 1977, failing to reach an agreement with Ford Motor Company concerning production standards and health and safety grievances, once again the local membership went on strike that lasted two weeks before settlement.

Moving Into The Eighties
Due to the rising gas prices, loss of car sales, and recession, the plant lost 19 weeks of production between August 1979 and May 1980.  The night shift was lost once again.  Although many other plants were closing down, one of the reasons St. Louis Assembly continued production was because of the the quality production of the Mercury.

Special negotiations were held in 1982 concerning the issues of the Preferential Hiring Agreement, the Guaranteed Income Stream for employees with over 15 years seniority, a strengthened Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Program and other job security issues.  One major emphasis was the Preferential Hiring Agreement.  The transition was difficult yet was well worth it for the union brothers and sisters to continue with the quality of life to which they had become accustomed.

Due to preparation for a major model change, our members were laid off for five months in January of 1985.  Because our members proved that we were able to maintain quality, the St. Louis Assembly Plant was given the opportunity to build the Aerostar Minivan, making us the only plant building this vehicle for 12 years.

Last Decade Of The Century
The 1990s brought about many changes and challenges for members of Local 325.  Some of the changes and challenges that took place in the St. Louis Assembly plant are:

1990 - John Sherlock (1990-1996) elected as UAW Local 325 President

1992 - Q1 Award was given to St. Louis Assembly because of the hard work and dedication of our Local 325 workers.

1993 - UAW Local 325 members were instrumental in assisting the flood victims by filling sandbags and distributing food and clothing to help the families of the victims.

1994 - First significant number of people hired for production within the last ten years.  Over 500 new members were added to the work force and became members of our Local 325.

1995 - UAW Local 325 took a stand to help in the Machinist strike against McDonnell Douglas.  They marched with other locals at the Machinist Rally on August 11, 1996 to show solidarity.

Ford Total Production Maintenance (FTPM).  This program was established at the St. Louis Assembly plant in an effort to implement preventive maintenance throughout the plant.  We currently have over 50 groups in the plant today.

St. Louis Assembly started building the Explorer (SUV) along with the Aerostar Minivan, making this plant the only plant that assembled a uni-body vehicle and a body on a frame type vehicle on the same assembly line.  This would be considered an historical event in the automobile industry.

1996 - Willis "Shorty" Courtoise elected as UAW Local 325 President.

1997 - Aerostar production stopped after 12 years.  The last vehicle was donated to the Hazelwood Plice Department to use in their "D.A.R.E. Program."

1998 - "Love Our Children" - A program that was made possible by President Willis Courtoise to help a teminally ill child make a wish come true.

Ford Production System was introduced to St. Louis Assembly plant.  FPS is a worldwide, cohesive system that encompasses and integrates our manufacturing processes and interrelated Ford Product Development System.  Its purpose is to develop and institute best practices in the methods we use to work with people, equipment and materials so our customers receive the greatest value.

1999 - Awarded a contract from the United States Post Office in 1998 with a target date in 1999 to start building frames for their vehicles.

2000 - The UAW Local 325 members are looking forward to the new millennia.  We are planning on making a product that we will be very proud of throughout the next thousand years and far beyond.  We, as UAW-Ford workers, realize that Quality is Job 1.

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