What is a Shirtwaist?
Picture from FIDM Museum
A shirtwaist is a women's blouse made to look like a men's shirt. Women wore them with colored skits for jobs such as, a teacher, sales girl, or clerk. Female athletes also wore this top when participating in activities.
The Shirtwaist Strike
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The relationship between the employees and the owners was bitter before the fire. The owners; Harris and Blanck, were considered the 'Shirtwaist Kings'. They had the most efficient sweatshop around and were making a lot of money; however, there employees worked "...a week and a half in one week..." explained a young employee. Employees protested the long hours, terrible working conditions, and wanted a 'closed shop' with only union employees. For a while the 'Kings' held off the strikers.
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"On Washington Place, fifty replacement workers walked out of the Triangle factory to join the strike. For the first time in three months of unrest, Blanck and Harris had to shut down, albeit briefly." |
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From Cornell University
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The Shirtwaist Strike is known as bitter. Finally in December the strike union called Local 25, accepted the deal they were offered earlier. The remaining shops (those that had not given in yet) gave the returning workers higher wages and shorter hours, and allowed membership in the workers unions. The 'Shirtwaist Kings' did had a small victory, they successfully resisted a closed shop of only union member employees.
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"Blood, then, was already the Triangle's legacy, even before history paid another visit, one year, one month, and seventeen days later." |
From Cornell University
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