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The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 tragically highlighted the dire working conditions faced by female workers, primarily young Jewish immigrants. With locked doors and barred windows, 146 workers lost their lives in the blaze, pushing the need for significant reforms in workplace safety standards. This tragedy ignited public outrage and led to increased awareness about labor laws, ultimately transforming labor rights and safety regulations across the United States. Explore the implications of this disaster and its role in advocating for better working conditions.
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Working Conditions Why was labor angry?
Corporations - you, too, can own a company! • Corporations - • Companies that are publicly owned • Sell stock to raise funds to grow business • Stock prices are determined supply and demand • Stock is sold on a stock market (New York Stock Exchange is on Wall Street in NYC) • Share - One part of the business. • Shareholders - people who own at least one share of stock
Must tell public (potential shareholders) about profits/losses Controlled by a elected board of directors (shareholders vote) Can raise $ quickly Owners do not have to tell profits/losses Owners have more control Harder to raise capital (funds) for new machines, factories Corporations vs. Private companies
Working Conditions in late 1800s • As mass production increased, companies get bigger, less personal. • Workers can be fired any time for any reason • Factories were uncomfortable, unsafe, dark, and dirty • Hours varied from 10 to 14 hours a day, 6 days/week • Injuries - if you were hurt, you were fired. No insurance. • Sweatshops - crowded and dangerous, usually refers to textile/garment industry
Workplace Safety • 1900 - 35,000 people died in industrial accidents • 500,000 people were injured in the same year • Most infamous incident was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, a clothing sweatshop that started on fire
Women and Children in the Labor Force • Women paid half as much as men • Child Labor • Hundreds of thousands under 16 working • Some states ban laborers under 12, but these laws were ignored • Kids work on machines designed for adults • Kids have almost no power to stand up for better pay, conditions
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Progressives Attack Workplace Reform
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1911) • Fire breaks out in NYC garment shop • Most workers are female Jewish immigrants • 146 die in fire, some by jumping out of upper story windows • Lower windows were barred and doors were locked to prevent workers from leaving early
How It Began • Doors were locked • Windows on first and second floors were barred • No breaks, no fresh air • Spark lit lint in the air on fire, and it spread rapidly
People could not escape, and the workers, mostly women, jumped out of upper windows to the streets below • 146 workers perished in the fire
Fire escapes melted due to the intense heat and were useless
“And there was this beautiful little girl, my friend, Dora. I remember her face before she jumped.” Bessie Cohen - Worker
Triangle Shirtwaist fire Made National News • People began to look at reforms in the workplace
Unions Protest Deaths of Their Fellow Workers • Unfortunately we had to have a horrible incident to get things moving • When else has this happened?
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Website http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/
