North American Aviation’s dramatic transformation and the influence of Moral Re-Armament in 1941-1945

ABSTRACT

The controversial wildcat strike by Local 683 of the United Auto Workers (UAW) in North American Aviation, Inc. in Inglewood, California, USA in 1941 was contentious in a number of ways – it hindered the U.S. defense effort, it allowed the International Association of Machinists to gain strength against the UAW in the aircraft industry, and it showed many union employees that combativeness with management might not be the best strategy. The strike ended when President Roosevelt sent in the United States Army. Although this event represented one of the most rancorous moments in U.S. labor history, only a few years later this same plant went on to have incredibly amicable labor/management relationships that allowed it to break records for aircraft production and serve as a model for employee-employer partnership. Labor and management worked together, largely guided by the practices of MRA. These principles included making decisions based not on who is right (power and opinion) but what is right (principle and common goals). MRA's focus on family life and receiving guidance are two other dimensions that are highlighted here. Personal correspondence and reports provide a behind-the-scenes explanation of how public events ensued. This case showed workers that they could oppose communism while also bargaining effectively with management using collaboration.

KEYWORDS:

• Moral Re-Armament
• communism
• north american aviation
• labor
• management
• industrial disputes
• history

Acknowledgments

Dr. Dent would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the Rist Family Foundation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. We thank the referees and editors for some very helpful comments and suggestions. We also appreciate the great assistance of Gavin Strassel, UAW Archivist, Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University.

2. 29,000 by war-end.

3. Local 683 was organized in May 1941 to represent aircraft workers in the Los Angeles area. After the wildcat strike and the army seized the plant, the International Union revoked the local’s charter of Local 683. Local 887 later became the bargaining agent for NAA.

4. Individuals mentioned more than once are listed in APPENDIX II: Cast of Characters for easy reference.

5. This was the principle U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman emphasized when he endorsed Moral Re-Armament ‘as a “vital national service”’ (‘Truman Indorses Morale Builders,’, 1943).

6. In other countries MRA created similar initiatives such as Pull Together Canada.

7. Please reference APPENDIX II: Cast of Characters for reminders of the key stakeholders and their affiliations.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eric B. Dent

Eric B. Dent serves as Professor and Uncommon Friends Endowed Chair in Ethics at FGCU. He is committed to an interdisciplinary research agenda and has publications in journals of leadership, consulting, philosophy, workplace spirituality, science, history, communications, psychology, education, and others.

Craig Randall

Craig Randall is an Associate Professor in Management at FGCU.