Victor G. Reuther - Early Years

Early Years

Victor Reuther was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, USA. His father was a union activist and supporter of Eugene Debs, a socialist candidate for the United States Presidency. Victor attended college as a freshman at West Virginia University in Morgantown and later, at the urging of his brother, Walter, he attended what is now Wayne State University. Subsequently, he then joined Walter on an extended trip to Europe and Asia, during which time the brothers worked in a Russian automobile factory. The Reuthers were eventually blacklisted and expelled from the U.S.S.R. after leading a strike demanding safer working conditions. Returning to the United States in 1936, Victor took a job at the Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company, in Flint, Michigan. It was there that he started to organize the workers into a union that would eventually become the UAW. During this time Reuther lent his support and leadership to the 1936 General Motors Strike where he faced down the billy clubs and tear gas of the violent pro-company police. He was famous during this strike for driving around Flint in a car with a loudspeaker mounted on the roof, encouraging the striking workers who were occupying the factories. Reuther was 24 years old at the time. General Motors (GM) workers in Flint took action, and the strike eventually spread to over 100 other production facilities. During this strike, 90% of GM production was stopped due to the shortage of parts and labor. The strike was eventually settled in February 1937, with many gains for the workers although Victor had to leave town with his wife, Sophie (the union's first female organizer) to evade a warrant that had been issued for his arrest by a GM "owned" judge. He and Sophie ended up in Anderson, Indiana to support another strike taking place there and another battle against thugs, corrupt police and public officials who were "in the pocket" of the corporations that were determined to wipe the union out.