What Is The Cause Of The Triangle Shirtwaist

In 1909, workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory began to strike for better working conditions. The workers were harassed by hired toughs and prostitutes hired by the company. When photos got out in the newspaper of the strikers being attacked, the movement gained widespread support by many powerful people. This forced Triangle to end the strike and give in to demands for better working conditions, 52 hour work week, and a fixed wage scale. The bosses still distrusted the workers and often locked all exits but one to prevent them from stealing. When a fire broke out in their supposedly “fireproof” building, the workers only had 1 narrow elevator to escape by. The workers were too high up in the building for people to be rescued from the