page_title: Women in labor unions
section_title: New York shirtwaist strike of 1909
hierarchical_section_title: Women in labor unions / Garment work in 1909-1913 / New York shirtwaist strike of 1909
caption_attribution_description: English: Portrait of Clara Lemlich (March 28, 1886 – July 25, 1982), leader of the Shirtwaist Strike of 1909-1910 in New York. Photograph circa 1910. Part of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union Photographs (1885-1985) collection located at The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives in the ILR School at Cornell University.
context_page_description: Women in labor unions have participated in labor organizing and activity throughout United States history. These workers have organized to address issues within the workplace, such as promoting gender equality, better working conditions, and higher wages. Women have participated in unions including the Collar Laundry Union, the WTUL, the IWW, the ILGWU, and the UAW.
context_section_description: In New York City working women employed by three major shirtwaist companies (the Leiserson Company, the Rosen Company, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Company) went to the Women's Trade Union League of America (WTUL) in 1909 to gain support in their strikes. Mary Dreier and hundreds of other women, were arrested while picketing. On November 23, 1909, Clara Lemlich's speech inspired the largest women's strike up to that point, which took place among primarily Jewish waist makers on the following day. The strike led more than 20,000 workers to walk out 500 shops in New York City. 10,000 women went back to work by November 27th,1909, after the smaller manufacturers agreed to the wages proposed by the unions. Larger manufacturers did not comply, forcing the strike to lead into December, and eventually spread to Philadelphia. During these months violence increased on picket lines; women were assaulted, harassed, and arrested. Some arrested women were sent to the workhouse on Blackwell's Island.
caption: Clara Lemlich
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