The present Machine Shop plant site building started in the early 1940’s. The Foundry was built in 1943. It was built by John Nylen and was called Nylen Products.

In 1946 the employment level had grown to about 300 hourly employees. The employees were not satisfied with the amount of pay received for the incentive pace they were expected to work at and began a union organizing drive and asked the U.A.W. to represent them.

Like most other organizing dries a few things were done by management and the drive kind of died.

In 1947 the drive got started again and this time with more determination.

An election was held and the employees voted to be represented by the U.A.W. Negotiations began with Nylen Products but to no avail, they refused to recognize the Union. A strike vote was taken and they still would not recognize the Union. Consequently, the strike began.

Management tried to run the plant without the strikers and the strike got heated.

One day, one of the foremen tried to get through the picket line with some workers inside the car. The pickets asked him to stop and when he didn’t, the car was turned over on it’s side. The driver was told, look, there is no one hurt and if you will promise to leave we will turn you back on your wheels and you can back out of here. The driver agreed, the car was put back on it’s wheels and he drive away. A little later another car approached, the same thing happened, he was turned over, agreed to leave and was put back on his wheels and he drove away. There was some minor damage to the cars but no personal injuries. This was the beginning of the end of the strike that lasted about six weeks.

Management agreed to recognize the U.A.W. as the bargaining agent and the people went back to work. Negotiations started and in about two months the first contract was agreed upon and ratified.

The International Rep. Tommy Flynn was arrested for allowing the cars to be turned over.

He was tried by Judge Westin and they were unable to prove he was responsible for turning the cars over but was convicted and sentenced to two years in Jackson prison for inciting a riot.

Tommy Flynn was taken to jail and was not able to help the local committee negotiate the first contract. There were two different International Reps that helped the local Committee, a man by the name of Rodgers and the other was Humphrey.

We had a newly elected Governor in Michigan at that time by the name of G. Mennen Williams. He pardoned Tommy Flynn and he stated the reason was because there was no personal injury but he expected the damage to the cars to be paid for. Memory didn’t recall the amount but it was about twice the value of the cars and they kept the cars.

This was the only strike while the plant was owned by Nylen Products.

In December of 1952, the plant was sold to Bendix Corporation. Bendix accepted the Union, it’s contract and all it’s members and from all reports it was a very smooth transition. Some of the first bargaining committee for Nylen Products was Eugene Mix, President, John Williams, Jeff Coffman and Clifford Gomez.

The first bargaining committee for Bendix was Eugene Mix, President, Clifford Gomez, Augusta Huelsberg, Lonzo Morris, and May Paukowitz.

Our charter was signed May 13, 1948 by:

Roy Ray,  Elbert Ivy,  Clifford Gomez, Max Kamp,  Mabel Barnes,  Jessie Coffman, Eugene Mix,  Donald Davis, 
William Buckles, Pearl Berk,  Helen Lehman,  Frederick Marutz, Jack Brown,  Arthur DeHert,  George Kelly Dublin,
Larry Gast,  John Williams

Among those signing for the International Union, UAW was President Walter Reuther, Secretary-Treasurer Emil Mazey and Region 1-D Director Leonard Woodcock.

Our active membership has gone from 300 in 1952 slowly increasing to over 1200 in 1978. In 1979 we started decreasing to a low of 252 in December of 1982. We have slowly increased to 845 working members and 291 retirees for a total membership of 1136 in 1986.