Heroes of American Labor in the Beginning

Heroes of American Labor

In the beginning years of the last century, working conditions were grave, especially for female workers. This is was, in part, because the world still wasn't behind women wanting to work outside of the home. Male unions and employers kept women out of better-paying jobs, forcing them into industries such as garment-making, where sweatshop conditions prevailed, pay was low, and employees had to pay for their cutting and sewing supplies. It seems horrible, it seems impossible today, but it could have been just yesterday.

New York's Triangle Shirtwaist Factory became a target for its known violations to women. But women, including Pauline Newman, were ready to fight back. That winter women and girls in their teens left their cramped and filthy work rooms, and marched to Union Square to protest their poor working conditions at a meeting called by the ILGWU. Pauline Newman, remembering the day, recalled:

"Thousands upon thousands left the factories from every side, all of them walking down toward Union Square. It was November, the cold winter was just around the corner, we had no fur coats to keep warm, and yet there was the spirit that led us out of the cold at least for the time being." (p. 116)

Of 339 shops involved, over 300 settled with the workers. This is because of the heroes of American labor, because of people like Pauline Newman. These women won a 52-hour work week, a promise that employers would provide supplies, no punishment for striking, and an equal division of work in slack seasons.

There are just some people in American History that stand out more than others. Pauline Newman will forever be heard through the years for her courage to fight back against the rights that were being violated by so many unions and employers of that time. She believed that, just like anyone else in the world, she had a right to be heard. Her courage and ability to communicate helped the women's movement and the garment industry evolve into something better.

Pauline Newman tells of getting a job at the Triangle Company as a child, soon after arriving in the United States from Lithuania in 1901. Newman describes her life as an immigrant and factory worker. Like many other young immigrant workers, she chafed at the strict regulations imposed by the garment manufacturers. One of the greatest industrial tragedies in U.S. history occurred on March 26, 1911, when 146 workers, mostly young women, died in a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Although she was not working in the factory at the time of the fire, many of her friends perished. Newman later became an organizer and leader of the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union.

In today's world, in response to recent events, Pauline Newman, I believe would be just as valiant and persistent in her attempts for something better. The sweat shops, unfortunately are not a thing of the past, but still alive and well today. The use and abuse of human beings will always be a problem for as long as we are alive. But it is in our own voices that we will change that; it is when all our small voices unite that we become loud and cannot be walked on without being heard again and again.

The working women who won the strike were Russian and Jewish, and Italian and African-American, and Polish and American born and many other nationalities. But they all stood together for better working conditions for they knew that only by being united would they get better working conditions for all. And we celebrate International Women's Day in March, the same month as the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, to honor their bravery.

Because Pauline Newman was an immigrant, it was even harder for her to be heard. Because her status as an American was somewhat precarious she had to try even harder to be heard. I believe she would have a lot to say about this today because of our fight against terrorism. American people come in many different forms, but goodness must unite and fight against what is bad, irregardless of race or skin color. Today or 1911 the message of uniting is the same.