One of the first major strikes among mill girls took place in Lowell, in October, 1836. The mill owners announced a wage cut and a withdrawal of a subsidy for their room and board. They decided to strike. Without their primary workers in place, the mills were forced to shut down.
What was the cause of the Lowell strike in 1836?
In 1834 and 1836, the mill owners reduced wages, increased the pace of work, and raised the rent for the boardinghouses. The young female workers went on strike (they called it “turning out” then) to protest the decrease in wages and increase in rent.
What happened at the Lowell mills?
In the 1830s, half a century before the better-known mass movements for workers’ rights in the United States, the Lowell mill women organized, went on strike and mobilized in politics when women couldn’t even vote—and created the first union of working women in American history.
What were the results of the Lowell strike?
It is hardly necessary to say that so far as results were concerned this strike did no good. The dissatisfaction of the operatives subsided, or burned itself out, and though the authorities did not accede to their demands, the majority returned to their work, and the corporation went on cutting down the wages.
What was the Lowell System famous for?
The Lowell System was not only more efficient but was also designed to minimize the dehumanizing effects of industrial labor by paying in cash, hiring young adults instead of children, offering employment for only a few years and by providing educational opportunities to help workers move on to better jobs, such as
What was the immediate cause of the Lowell strike of 1834?
Because of fierce competition for existing jobs, labor lost bargaining power.
When the Lowell Mill Girls went on strike in 1836 which tactic did the mill owners used to break the strike?
When the Lowell Mill Girls went on strike in 1836, which tactic did the mill owners use to break the strike? They refused to negotiate with the employees.
What was life like for a Lowell mill girl?
Difficult Factory Conditions
These women worked in very sub-par conditions, upwards of 70 hours a week in grueling environments. The air was very hot in these rooms that were full of machines that generated heat, the air quality was poor, and the windows were often closed.
When did the Lowell system end?
The arrival of the Irish in Lowell, beginning in 1846, also contributed substantially to the demise of the Lowell System of Labor. With unskilled labor available and willing to work for low wages, the system was no longer needed. By the 1850s the Lowell System was a failed experiment.
What role did Robinson play in the 1836 strike or turn out?
A Former Mill Girl Remembers the Lowell Strike of 1836 (with text supports) Harriet Hanson Robinson began work in Lowell at the age of ten, later becoming an author and advocate of women’s suffrage. In 1834 and 1836, the mill owners reduced wages, increased the pace of work, and raised the rent for the boardinghouses.
What was the Lowell experiment?
The Lowell experiment also brought young, single, rural women into industrial employment in large numbers for the first time in American history and saw some of the nation’s earliest labor protests among working women. The Lowell experiment prospered and set an example that was widely followed at first.
Why did the female workers in the Lowell textile mills choose to strike in response to a proposed wage cuts?
Overview Why did the female workers in the Lowell textile mills choose to strike in response to a proposed wage cuts? The women who worked in the Lowell textile mills earned wages lower than those paid to men. When mill owners sought to cut wages in 1834, the mill workers went on strike.
What did the mill girls eat?
The Mill Girls would continue their work until 12PM when they were given the chance of consuming their “dinner”. This meal consisted of primarily vegetables. Some meat was provided as well. A bell would ring at 12:35PM, signaling the end of dinner.
How much money did mill girls make?
On average, the Lowell mill girls earned between three and four dollars per week. The cost of boarding ranged between seventy-five cents and $1.25, giving them the ability to acquire good clothes, books, and savings.
Where did the mill girls sleep?
Typically, a boarding home housed up to 25 women who sometimes slept with up to 8 other people in a bedroom. This lack of privacy was not what the workers had in mind, although it contributed to their closeness and provided a great sense of community.
Who wrote the Lowell offering?
The Lowell Offering: Writings by New England Mill Women (1840-1945): Eisler, Benita: 9780393316858: Amazon.com: Books.