United Automobile Workers Button

This United Automobile Workers of America button dates to May of 1955. During the 1950s the U. A. W. established some of the most significant collective bargaining agreements between unions and management. In 1950, The U. A. W. negotiated a contract with GM that included a fully funded pension plan, and in 1955 the U. A. W. gained the same terms from Ford. The U. A. W. operated as part of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (C. I. O.) until it merged with the American Federation of Labor (A. F. L.) in 1955.

The button has the initials “U. A. W.” at the top and “A. F. L.” on the bottom. The center bears the logo of the U. A. W.-A. F. L. of two hands shaking inside a car. Around the logo is the text “International Union- United Automobile Workers of America/Chartered August 26, 1935.” The center of the badge reads “May 1955.”