The Risk of a Strike

Thelma looked downward at her hands. They were covered with blood and unfixable cuts, yet it was only her second day on the job. As a weaver in the dress factory, she knew the importance of her job, but circumstances were dreadful. The room was stuffy, and the male owners cruel. Thelma knew she was very lucky, as countless other women had applied for this job to support their families.

Thelma decided her break was long over and sat down to resume her weaving cloth. As she began to finger the thick thread over and under that which she had already finished, two whispering women caught her ear.

“Did you hear about the strike?” one asked.

“Of course, but what of it?” said the other.

“Well, I was thinking of going!”

Thelma stopped. She had heard of strikers in the newspaper, with headlines like: "Rambunctious Women Take a Stand" or "Mary Harper, Tired of Low Wages." But going to a strike, striking could mean a lost job. On the other hand, Thelma’s wages couldn’t give her family much food. So tomorrow, she would strike.

The following morning was like any other. Thelma sat at her weaving perch and out of the corner of her eye saw a slender woman beckon a circle of ladies. Thelma slinked behind.

The strike had dozens more people than Thelma presumed. Although she had no sign, her cry was bigger than words could conceive. A man flung rotten fruit from the streets, and an egg hit Thelma at waist height. Hours of marching proceeded.

In a moment though, all was quiet. Thelma peeked through windows of people and saw the president standing by the factory owner and the slender woman. “As of March 15, 1931, may it be reminded this proclamation has had much thought, all wages at the clothing factory on Plum Street will be raised 20 percent,” Franklin announced. The crowd cheered, and Thelma grinned.