Early 20th Century Counter Culture
THE TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FACTORY FIRE:
FROM TRAGEDY CAME CHANGE
Donna Baker
MG 420
14 February 2011 In the early 20th century, immigrants from Europe flooded Ellis Island in droves in search of “streets paved with gold” which they believed to be found in the United States. The majority of these immigrants settled in New York City to live in tenement housing and find work in the “30,000 factory floors and sweatshops that were located in Lower Manhattan. Each year, 612,000 workers, mostly immigrants were turning out one-tenth of the industrial output of the United States. A quarter of a million men, women and children labored without any regulations.”3
“The majority of garment workers were made up of Southern Italian and Eastern …show more content…
So, on “November 22, 1909 the ILGWU called a meeting in the Cooper Union Hall to consult its membership and map out a strategy.”8 The hall was packed full and there were many speakers who spoke endlessly. They promised their support but feared retaliation by the employers in the form of firings and physical harm. “Clara Lemlich, a seamstress and union member who was 19 and already badly beaten for her part in union involvement, came forward and took the stage. She called for an immediate strike of all the garment workers and her motion was resoundingly endorsed.”1 This was to become known as “the largest strike of women in the history of the United States.”1 Within days, “more than 20,000 shirtwaist makers, from 500 factories, walked out and joined the picket line at Union Square. This was called the “Uprising of the 20,000”. More than 70 of the smaller factories agreed to the union’s demands within the first 48 hours. However, the fiercely anti-union owners of the Triangle factory met with owners of the 20 largest factories to form a manufacturing association.”1 “A month into the strike, most of the small and mid-sized factories settled with the strikers.”1 The garment workers went back to
FROM TRAGEDY CAME CHANGE
Donna Baker
MG 420
14 February 2011 In the early 20th century, immigrants from Europe flooded Ellis Island in droves in search of “streets paved with gold” which they believed to be found in the United States. The majority of these immigrants settled in New York City to live in tenement housing and find work in the “30,000 factory floors and sweatshops that were located in Lower Manhattan. Each year, 612,000 workers, mostly immigrants were turning out one-tenth of the industrial output of the United States. A quarter of a million men, women and children labored without any regulations.”3
“The majority of garment workers were made up of Southern Italian and Eastern …show more content…
So, on “November 22, 1909 the ILGWU called a meeting in the Cooper Union Hall to consult its membership and map out a strategy.”8 The hall was packed full and there were many speakers who spoke endlessly. They promised their support but feared retaliation by the employers in the form of firings and physical harm. “Clara Lemlich, a seamstress and union member who was 19 and already badly beaten for her part in union involvement, came forward and took the stage. She called for an immediate strike of all the garment workers and her motion was resoundingly endorsed.”1 This was to become known as “the largest strike of women in the history of the United States.”1 Within days, “more than 20,000 shirtwaist makers, from 500 factories, walked out and joined the picket line at Union Square. This was called the “Uprising of the 20,000”. More than 70 of the smaller factories agreed to the union’s demands within the first 48 hours. However, the fiercely anti-union owners of the Triangle factory met with owners of the 20 largest factories to form a manufacturing association.”1 “A month into the strike, most of the small and mid-sized factories settled with the strikers.”1 The garment workers went back to