The NWTUL

On March 25, 1911 a disastrous tragedy hit our nation that forced a needed change in the factory industry. In New York’s Greenwich Village a fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, one of the most prominent factories around owned by Mr. Isaac Harris and Mr. Max Blanck. Approximately 146 workers, mostly women, died in this fire, making it the most catastrophic fire incident in New York City. Just before this accident, these same women were on strike for the horrible and unsafe conditions they faced in such factories, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory being the most influential reason for the strike. This accident was more than an accident; it was society neglecting to take action in order to provide safer conditions for female factory workers, it was the lack of care in the nation at the time for women and their rights.

The workplaces were unsafe places for laborers to work. Flora Tristan, a women’s right advocate, could have been influenced by the fact that many women were employed in factories and had to work for long hours and

They seeked to work with men in various different trades, professions. and commerce [Document 7]. In addition to women changing the American industrial landscape, manufacturing revolutionized it. At the beginning of the time period, artisanship was mainly how people manufactured goods. They would use their skill from the comfort of their home, with their family [Document 5]. Rising out of innovation, however, was the birth of large manufacturing plants [Document 5]. This produced a cheaper, and faster way to manufacture products; at the expense of weaker, more limited and dependent workers [Document 2]. With this new work class coming to lead the American industrial system, it increased inequality between the worker, and the

Industrialization was the reason behind the young women working in the factories and mills ,however it was not the best working conditions. Many of the young girls did not have the knowledge to work with the equipment nor were they being taught; this leading to the girls getting hurt or being scared of the tool just as one of the “From Utopia To Mill Town”

In order to mediate labor disputes and force employers to recognize the unions. By 1933 President Franklin Roosevelt created a National Labor Board (NLB) to deal with the severe situation. Three industry representatives were selected for the NLB by the National Recovery Administration's Industry Advisory Board, and three labor members were picked by the NRA's Labor Advisory Board. In early 1934, President Roosevelt authorized the NLB to conduct union representation elections and handle violations of the NIRA codes. Its decisions provided a foundation for an emerging national labor policy of collective bargaining. However, NLB failed to achieve voluntary compliance with Section 7(a) because of the lack

Women were the primary victims of being mistreated in the factory work life right next to immigrants and of course people of another color. These women worked long and hard hours, often from the sun up to late at night after the sun went down just to have the money to do buy the basic necessities that their family may need. Women’s incomes were pretty low at the time, which is why they had to work for such a long period of the day. They also had very high expectations as they had to produce with no error for hours in during the day, they were expected to make 3000 stitches per minute or else they would be docked. Working environments were very cramped and the machines were not exactly user-friendly, so it is easy to see why they would want to begin progressive movements. Women began to group up after hours to talk about the complexities that go on around the workplace and sought out a solution to make the owners realize that their opinions do matter. After long talks amongst each other, the women decided to join together in a strike against the unfair treatment and conditions that the Triangle Shirtwaist factory provided them with. They all sat out of the workforce and were directly responsible for the

Seventy-five percent of the workforce was made up of women,9 and most of these women were Mexican. These Mexican women faced extremely harsh treatment while working. The three biggest problems these women had that they wanted to get rid of by unionizing were the “pet” system, when male employees and supervisors would favor women they liked or went out with,10 the piece-rate system, when workers get paid by their work accomplished, not by the hour, and the supervisors, who would constantly watch the women and make sure they were working hard.11 Women particularly hated these three systems, especially since they are discriminatory. Also, the piece-rate system would make it hard to get consistent pay. All of the strenuous work would of course make the workers sore, and soon their workload would slowly start to decrease. Furthermore, it is hard to design the piece-rate system in such a way that women would get about the same amount of money men who are paid by the hour. In addition to discrimination, the jobs were often dangerous, as Julia Luna Mount stated, “After work, my hands were red, swollen, and I was on fire!”12 These working conditions inevitably made the labor force create the United Cannery, Agricultural, Packing, and Allied Workers of America (UCAPAWA). Most of the members in this

Women working men’s jobs were not as welcomed in society as they were in factories. People held on to the belief that women should be house wives and not have to do much in the way of work. The man should provide for the family, and the women should take care of the family. Many of the women who worked were lower class and had to help provide for their families, or were the only providers for their families. Women who worked men’s jobs were looked down upon and thought to be no better than dirt. Although women working in factories were still women, men did not show them the same respect as they did a woman working as a secretary or teacher.

The Progressive Era, from the late nineteenth century through the early twentieth century (1898-1919), was a time when women were learning and adjusting to the differences in America. Women had different goals they wanted to achieve. Women from different classes had different targets that they strived for. Some women wanted to be equals with all people and have the rights that they deserved to have. Others just tried to make life better and happier for themselves and their family.

Throughout the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, gender roles began to change as women became active participants in American society. For instance, women became active in expressing their views against alcohol and pushed for the prohibition and temperance. Organizations such as The Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), argued that alcohol led to societal problems. Male and female reformers banned together to argue that alcohol was immoral and causing a negative impact on women. Women, if married, would experience an abusive, violent drunk husband who neglected his family and gambled his money away. Thus, the evils of alcohol became part of the progressive agenda that eventually led to the passage of the 18th amendment. Along with prohibition, women also took active roles in acquiring suffrage. In “The Politics of Good Government,” Gayle Gullett argued that in the California Women’s Movement built a nonpartisan broad suffrage umbrella that sought to enhance their “special interests.” Middle-class women assured their male allies that women’s enfranchisement was essential to progressivism. Furthermore, middle-and working-class women argued that suffrage would not only protect working women but women in general. Working class men and women also united to seek reform. Thus, through these heterogeneous groups, the California Women’s Movement built a unified coalition that led to women’s suffrage in 1911. [46] As America entered the First Great War, the

However, not only did women work in the fields they also produce goods, and services; such as clothing, personal hygiene items, and food to be sold in order to build -up their coffer’s through that of their overabundance of supplies. This impact took place during the 1700’s and beyond, when women from all aspects of life filled these domestic jobs while working for very little pay; getting absolutely nothing at all for their work. During the 1800’s, however, this all changed for women and soon these women we’re categorized as being unskilled workers this causing tremendous consequences for these women; especially when the men return for war and once again took on the gender roles to which women were now a custom too.

From the time of 1890- 1920 was the progressive era. In this time the American people experienced a very rapid industrialization in their major cities, where it grew not only with industrializing but economically as well. In this time we adopted many laws about working conditions that we still have today. For example, the government adopted laws about Jacob Riis and the photos he took, child labor, and women's suffrage movements. In the next few paragraphs I will explain to you why these three subjects are some of the most important things that happened in this time period.

Progressives knew of the terrible conditions that many laborers were going through in factories and workplaces across America, and they rose up to the challenge of fighting against them.

Woman along with the children were affected while working during the industrial revolution. During 1834 and 1836 Harriet Martineau, a British feminist and abolitionist, visited America and enthusiastically embraced the social implications of the Industrial Revolution, (DTA, 223). Martineau compared the lifestyle of women to slaves and said the United States contradicted the principles of the Declaration of Independence. She did believe though with some progress that it could become New England’s new industrial order. One of the Mill factories Martineau visited, Waltham Mill, was a prime example of the scheduled lifestyle of women mill workers. Women Mill workers of all ages worked at Waltham Mill, which I compared to a boarding school because of their strict schedules. The ladies had a time to wake up, to be at work, to eat, and to go to school. A lot of women did not mind the harsh conditions they lived and worked in because they fought for their equality of rights for a long time now.

In the 1890s, American women emerged as a major force for social reform. Millions joined civic organizations and extended their roles from domestic duties to concerns about their communities and environments. These years, between 1890 and 1920, were a time of many social changes that later became known as the Progressive Era. In this time era, millions of Americans organized associations to come up with solutions to the many problems that society was facing, and many of these problems were staring American women right in the face.