Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/ Introduction
The fire was at the Triangle Waist Company in New York City
Claimed the lives of 146 young immigrant workers
This incident has had great significance to this day because it highlights the inhumane working conditions to which industrial working conditions to which industrial workers can be subjected
Sweatshops & Strikes before 1911
Was a typical sweated factory in the heart of Manhattan
Located at 23-29 Washington Place
Low wages, excessively long hours
Unsanitary and dangerous working conditions
The building owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris- subcontracted much work to the individuals hired and pocketed a portion of the profits
Subcontractors could pay the workers whatever rates they wanted (often extremely low)
In 1909 an incident at the Triangle Factory sparked a spontaneous walkout of its 400 employees
By 1910 the cloakmakers’ strike reached a historic agreement that established a grievance system in the garment industry
Many shops were still in the hands of unscrupulous owners who disregarded basic workers’ rights and imposed unsafe working conditions on their employees
Fire!
Near closing time on a Saturday afternoon, march 25th 1911- a fire broke out on the top floors of the Asch Building in the Triangle Waist Company
Within minutes it broke into madness
By the time the fire was over 146 of the 500 employees had died
Some people leaped out of the ninth floor windows to their death to avoid buring to death
Many of the workers were women- some as young as 14 years old
For the most part- recent Italian and European Jewish immigrants seeking a better life
The Triangle Factory was a non-union shop
However, some of its workers had joined the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union
The International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and the Womens’ Trade Union League fought for better working conditions and protective legislation
The Triangle Fire
The fire was at the Triangle Waist Company in New York City
Claimed the lives of 146 young immigrant workers
This incident has had great significance to this day because it highlights the inhumane working conditions to which industrial working conditions to which industrial workers can be subjected
Sweatshops & Strikes before 1911
Was a typical sweated factory in the heart of Manhattan
Located at 23-29 Washington Place
Low wages, excessively long hours
Unsanitary and dangerous working conditions
The building owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris- subcontracted much work to the individuals hired and pocketed a portion of the profits
Subcontractors could pay the workers whatever rates they wanted (often extremely low)
In 1909 an incident at the Triangle Factory sparked a spontaneous walkout of its 400 employees
By 1910 the cloakmakers’ strike reached a historic agreement that established a grievance system in the garment industry
Many shops were still in the hands of unscrupulous owners who disregarded basic workers’ rights and imposed unsafe working conditions on their employees
Fire!
Near closing time on a Saturday afternoon, march 25th 1911- a fire broke out on the top floors of the Asch Building in the Triangle Waist Company
Within minutes it broke into madness
By the time the fire was over 146 of the 500 employees had died
Some people leaped out of the ninth floor windows to their death to avoid buring to death
Many of the workers were women- some as young as 14 years old
For the most part- recent Italian and European Jewish immigrants seeking a better life
The Triangle Factory was a non-union shop
However, some of its workers had joined the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union
The International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and the Womens’ Trade Union League fought for better working conditions and protective legislation
The Triangle Fire