On 15 September 1970, over 400,000 workers struck General Motors (GM), the biggest corporation in the world. It was a massive walkout, lasting sixty-seven days and affecting 145 GM plants in the US and Canada. GM lost more than $1 billion in profits, and the impact on the US economy was considerable. Despite the strike's size, it has been understudied. Fifty years later, this article provides a re-assessment of this landmark dispute, the first to use detailed archival records of the strike. Refuting claims that the strike lacked drama, I argue that this was a multifaceted – and compelling – story. Primary sources show that workers and union leaders were heavily invested in the battle, which reflected deep-seated local, national, and global issues. The United Automobile Workers (UAW) mobilized significant levels of national and international support, and won a range of concessions, including substantial wage and benefit increases and the ability for workers to retire after thirty years’ service. The strike was deeply infused by local issues and should not just be viewed through the lens of the national GM–UAW relationship. In a broader context, the strike is also important because it occurred at a time of rising global labour militancy, which scholars are increasingly recognizing. Its story contributes to a growing body of literature on the 1970s, a decade that witnessed important activism in many areas.

1970 年 9 月 15 日，超过 400,000 名工人罢工了世界上最大的公司通用汽车 (GM)。这是一次大规模的罢工，持续了 67 天，影响了美国和加拿大的 145 家通用汽车工厂。通用汽车损失了超过 10 亿美元的利润，对美国经济的影响相当大。尽管罢工规模很大，但人们对它的研究还不够充分。五十年后，这篇文章重新评估了这一具有里程碑意义的争议，首次使用了罢工的详细档案记录。我驳斥了罢工缺乏戏剧性的说法，认为这是一个多方面的——而且引人注目的——故事。主要消息来源显示，工人和工会领导人在这场斗争中投入了大量资金，这反映了根深蒂固的地方、国家和全球问题。美国汽车工人联合会 (UAW) 动员了大量的国家和国际支持，并赢得了一系列让步，包括大幅增加工资和福利，以及允许工人在服务 30 年后退休。这次罢工深受当地问题的影响，不应仅仅从通用汽车与美国汽车工人工会的全国关系的角度来看待。在更广泛的背景下，这次罢工也很重要，因为它发生在全球劳工战斗性上升的时期，学者们越来越认识到这一点。它的故事为 1970 年代越来越多的文学作品做出了贡献，这十年见证了许多领域的重要激进主义。这次罢工深受当地问题的影响，不应仅仅从通用汽车与美国汽车工人工会的全国关系的角度来看待。在更广泛的背景下，这次罢工也很重要，因为它发生在全球劳工战斗性上升的时期，学者们越来越认识到这一点。它的故事为 1970 年代越来越多的文学作品做出了贡献，这十年见证了许多领域的重要激进主义。这次罢工深受当地问题的影响，不应仅仅从通用汽车与美国汽车工人工会的全国关系的角度来看待。在更广泛的背景下，这次罢工也很重要，因为它发生在全球劳工战斗性上升的时期，学者们越来越认识到这一点。它的故事为 1970 年代越来越多的文学作品做出了贡献，这十年见证了许多领域的重要激进主义。