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The Strike at Homestead Mill
Carnegie left his Homestead Mill in the hands of his second in command, Frick. The people working at the Mill felt like they were entitled to some ownership of the land as they had poured so much sweat and time into working. Frick did not want to work with the union Workers got together and decided to strike, but Frick built a fortress with holes accessible for rifles and kept the unloyal workers out. A battle due to the events lasted 12 hours. -
Newsies
Before the strike, newsboys would receive a stack of newspapers and market them out. They were all young and just trying to provide for their family. When the price of the stacks they had to buy experienced a great increase with the publishers having no desire to reverse them, the boys went on strike to demand a lower price. This protest lasted 2 weeks. -
Carmella Toile
Carmella Toile was a 13 year old girl who dropped out of school to work. She was working 3 weeks before getting her hair caught in a machine and getting her scalp torn off. Her medical bills were paid by the company but she did not receive sick pay. She joined a protest for working people and shared her story then returned back to work in the mill. She was never promoted, while workers who had not joined the strike were rewarded for their loyalty with better paying jobs. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
In Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York,
146 workers (123 women and girls along with 23 men) died when the buildings caught fire and they were locked inside. The doors of the factory were locked because the people managing the business wanted the workers to stop taking breaks. Magically the managers survived. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory incident enforced a lot of fire related safety precautions, like fire extinguishers, sprinklers, and no tolerance to having your workers locked in. -
Radium Girls
Girls working in many cities contracted radiation poisoning from painting radium dials. Girls were told to put them slightly in their mouth and wet their brush so the company wouldn’t lose product. The girls were left mutilated by the poisoning, they went to doctors but those doctors were bribed to cover up the poisoning with Syphilis. 50 people died. The workers sued for damages and won which enforced safety procedures, this case showed that workers are able to sue a company and have power. -
Puerto Rican Obituary - Pedro Pietri
This piece works on naming off people who symbolize that average Puerto Rican (or Latino) working in America and starting to decay while they living because they are taken advantage of and put in terrible conditions; Even though the only reason they came to America is to live a better life. -
The Delano Grape Strike and Boycott
In 1965, a boycott on grapes started as a protest for the grape farm workers to get better pay, this boycott didn't end until 1970. Before this boycott, there were some protests held, but those only ended in a couple cents pay raise, and no contracts or union recognition. -
He Showed Us the Way - Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez used this piece to honor MLK Jr and prove that the method of nonviolence protest is the best way to go. Chavez showed that peaceful protest has both value and doesn't sacrifice lives. He was passionate that they should all be willing to wait for the results they want than to lose lives for the cause. -
Child Labor Laws
8 states are trying to establish bills to roll back child labor laws. They want to get teenagers to work in hazardous work environments, get paid less than minimum wage, and work extended hours. Some states are already successful.