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The Rise of Public Sector Unionism in Detroit, 1947-1967 Louis Eugene Jones Wayne State University

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The Rise of Public Sector Unionism in Detroit, 1947-1967 Louis Eugene Jones Wayne State University Wayne State University Wayne State University Dissertations 1-1-2010 The Rise Of Public Sector Unionism In Detroit, 1947-1967 Louis Eugene Jones Wayne State University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations Part of the Other History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Jones, Louis Eugene, "The Rise Of Public Sector Unionism In Detroit, 1947-1967" (2010). Wayne State University Dissertations. Paper 92. This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@WayneState. It has been accepted for inclusion in Wayne State University Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@WayneState. THE RISE OF PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONISM IN DETROIT, 1947-1967 by LOUIS E. JONES DISSERTATION Submitted to the Graduate School of Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 2010 MAJOR: HISTORY Approved by: ______________________________________ Advisor Date ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ 3 COPYRIGHT LOUIS E. JONES 2010 All Rights Reserved 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with any project of this size, this dissertation required the support of many individuals and institutions to whom I am indebted. All of my colleagues at Wayne State University’s Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, but especially the Director and Associate Director Michael Smith and Kathy Schmeling, who supported me through the course of this work. Daniel Golodner and Johanna Russ shared their insights regarding sources from the collections of the American Federation of Teachers and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Librarians and archivists at Wayne State University’s Purdy/Kresge Library, the Arthur Neef Law Library, the Detroit Public Library, the Library of Michigan and the Bentley Historical Library also provided invaluable help. There were many friends and colleagues who seemed to provide the right mix of encouragement at key moments along the way, including James Spady, Nadel Harvey, Genna Rae McNeil, Steve Babson, Rosita Smith, Norman McRae, Kenneth Hamilton, Cheryl Dove, Randolph Cameron, Felecia Grace, Terence Hallamon, Keith White and Todd Duncan. Other friends and colleagues cheering me on include Pam May, Robert Lamm, Claudy and Jack Jones, Philip Mason, Sarah Williams, Angela Lakwete, Kenneth Hamilton, Edward Simpkins, Owusu Ansah, and Ronnie and Donna Posey who graciously agreed to play dates between our respective children, thereby allowing me much needed study time. In addition to his encouragement, I want to thank Joseph Turrini for a preliminary paper he wrote on public sector unionism in Michigan. Unfortunately, the time involved in writing this dissertation has meant that a few friends and family ii members who encouraged me at earlier stages passed away before I could finish. They include cousins James and Barbara Hamilton and good friend Michael Patterson. Marcia Farah, Richard Fry and Michael Hartman, members of my dissertation- writing group, provided invaluable feedback and encouragement through the research and writing of this dissertation. I was the recipient of a fellowship from the Melvin and Eleanor Ravitz Endowment Fund and in addition to the monetary award I received from that source, Dr. Ravitz personally encouraged me through this journey. My church family at Southfield, Michigan’s New Hope Missionary Baptist Church has supported me with their prayers. A special thanks goes to my committee, especially my advisor, Elizabeth Faue. She spent countless hours reviewing drafts to the dissertation and provided many meaningful comments along the way. She has likewise helped me better understand the contours of the historical profession. As my other committee members, professors Melvin Small, Richard Elling and fellow historian of public sector unionism, Joseph McCartin, have likewise provided me with important insights while demonstrating a truly collegial spirit. The support I received from my parents, Harold and Wanda Jones, as well as my two brothers, Ernie and Antar Jones, have also been of inestimable benefit. Most importantly, I thank my wife, Dr. Toni Jones, and son, Emmanuel Jones, for the patience and encouragement they provided. As they know more than any others, it has been quite a ride. If I have neglected to acknowledge others, please charge the omission to my head and not my heart. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments............................................................................................................. ii Introduction: The Detroit Public Sector After World War II, 1947-1967 ................ 1 Labor Historians and Public Sector Unionism.................................................................. 6 Primary Sources Documenting Public Sector Unionism ................................................ 13 Scholars Outside of History Weigh in on the Public Sector ........................................... 18 Public Sector Unionism in Detroit: Scholars Weigh in on the Subject .......................... 20 The Weight and Force of History in Shaping the Contours of Public Sector Unionism in Detroit .................................................................................................. 24 Key People and Organizations Shaping Public Sector Unionism .................................. 35 The Flow and Ebb of History.......................................................................................... 37 Chapter Outline ............................................................................................................... 40 Part I : Of Teachers, Sanitation Workers and Street Railway Operators: Detroit’s Public Sector Workers Prompt and Confront the Law, 1947-1951 ........................................................................................................... 42 Chapter 1: The Theory of Unintended Consequences: Detroit Teacher Activism in 1947 ................................................................................................ 46 Taxation and the Public Sector ....................................................................................... 47 The Public Sector and the Necessity of Political Activities ........................................... 51 Detroit-Area Teachers Take Action to Secure Wage Increases ...................................... 52 The Republican-Dominated Legislature Responds to Teacher Activism ....................... 57 Forces Supporting the Demands of Detroit-Area Teachers ............................................ 63 Hutchinson Bill Debated in the Legislature .................................................................... 66 The Political Climate of the Times ................................................................................. 68 Organized Labor's Opposition to the Hutchinson Bill .................................................... 71 Michigan's Governor Kim Sigler Enters the Fray .......................................................... 73 iv Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 76 Chapter 2: The 1951 Strike of the Detroit Street Railway Workers and the Hutchinson Act .......................................................................................... 77 Prelude to a Strike ........................................................................................................... 78 Legal Action Regarding DSR Workers .......................................................................... 80 Detroit Mayor Albert Cobo Receives Support................................................................ 84 Cobo's Strategy ............................................................................................................... 93 Organized Labor Supports DSR Strikers ........................................................................ 95 Cobo Continues his Strategy Against DSR Strikers ....................................................... 99 The Litigation Concerning the DSR Strike Begins ....................................................... 101 In the Aftermath of the Litigation ................................................................................. 106 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 107 Part II: Legislative Reapportionment as a Bridge Over Troubled Waters ........... 114 Chapter 3: Laying the Groundwork for Things to Come: Labor's Fight for Legislative Reapportionment, 1952-1964 .............................................. 116 The 1952 Initiative ........................................................................................................ 121 Why Proposal #2 Advocates Lost ................................................................................. 150 August Scholle (Gus) and Theodore Sachs ................................................................. 155 Let the Litigation Begin ................................................................................................ 161 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 174 Part III: A New Era for Detroit-Area Public Sector Workers, 1965-1967 ............ 177 Chapter 4: An Act Poised to 'Free us from Slavery': The
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