Dash, J. (1996). We Shall Not Be Moved: The Women's Factory Strike of 1909. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN:0590484095
· Plot Summary
By 1909, one in five factory workers was female, most of them young, unmarried, Jewish women. In their own homelands women of the time ran small businesses and took care of their families, while the men spent the majority of their hours in religious study. When religious persecution and poverty caused many of these families to flee to America, there was seldom money to be used for setting up a business of their own, so it was necessary to enter the factors to bring in wages. This text describes the working conditions of the "Shirtwaist Girls" and the troubles they faced, particular in contrast to the conditions of male workers in the same factories. With straightforward clarity, it explains how these young women were unused to having their voices heard, and that it took a few enterprising individuals like Clara Lemlich and Mary Dreirer to get women to join the Local 25 branch of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. As they attempted to reach out to more and more women like them, they were met with repeated acts of violence, a fact that brought them to the attention of wealthy women such as Alva Vanderbilt. After the death of her second husband, Alva had become a suffragette, and these individuals helped factory women in their speeches. Unfortunately, the same wealth that gave the financial security and time to plead their cause also resulted in rifts, the wealthy women with their tea party socials unable to really connect with their much less wealthy sisters. The tide would turn with the arrival of college women, many of them from Vassar, such as Rose Schneiderman, Elsie Cole, and Violet Pike. These women already knew what it was like to live independently, and their bold attitude was contagious. By February of 1910, arbitration succeeded where simple negotiation and outbreaks of hostility had not, a partial settlement reached between Triangle (the factory in New York) and the union leaders. Still, one year later, 146 women were killed by burning or throwing themselves out windows when someone set fire to the building occupied by Triangle.
· Critical Evaluation
An in-depth and precise examination of the circumstances that surrounded the union strikes of 1909. A clear telling of the before and after events that marked this pivotal time in U.S. women's attempts at equality.
· Reader’s Annotation
A good introduction to the topic of women seeking equality in the workforce, and for the right to vote. Short biographies on key figures make for possible subjects of future reading material.
· Information about the Author
Joan Dash was born in Brooklyn, NY and currently lives in Seattle with her husband. She has authored several short stories, two adult non-fiction books, and a title about women that have been honored with a Novel Prize.
· Genre
Non-Fiction
· Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 7-9/Ages 12-14
· Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?
After reading Johnson's After I Said No, I wanted to know more about the union role in New York's factories. I was a union representative for two years, until pursuing my education, working full-time, and raising my daughter made it impossible to keep up.
