- R. J. Thomas
Roland Jay Thomas (
June 9 ,1900 –April 18 ,1967 ), aka R.J. Thomas, was born inEast Palestine, Ohio . He grew up in eastern Ohio and attendedWooster College for two years. The need to help support his family caused him to leave college and go to work. In 1923, he moved toDetroit , where he worked in a number of automobile plants.He became active in efforts to organize the automobile industry and was the president of
Chrysler Local 7 when it affiliated with theUnited Auto Workers (UAW) in 1936. He was a leader of the 1937 Chrylser sit-down strike and that same year was elected a vice president of the UAW. He assumed the presidency in 1938 after the president,Homer Martin , was ousted.He was president until 1946. During this period, the UAW developed into a dynamic, stable union. He lost the presidency to
Walter Reuther in 1946, but was elected first vice president. However, he lost that office in the election the following year. In 1947 he was named assistant toCongress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) presidentPhilip Murray . With the merger of the AFL and CIO in 1955, he served underGeorge Meany until his retirement in 1964 due to ill health.He was married to Mildred Wettergren on
August 7 , 1937. and they had one child, Frank. R.J. Thomas died inMuskegon, Michigan , in 1967.References
* Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs
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