On Thursday, Fourth Graders imagined themselves as recent immigrants working in a factory in 1909. The conditions in the factory were dismal. Workers were unhappy. Some of the workers had heard about a meeting that was taking place that evening at Cooper Union. At the end of their difficult workday, the boss announced,
“I heard they are gathering at Cooper Union tonight and that Clara Lemlich will be there too. If I hear you’ve gone, you’ll be fired. If you go, don’t come into work tomorrow.”As the workers left the building they discussed whether to go to the meeting and ultimately to strike… or not. Here is what they said:
“I’m going to the meeting! Because I hate these stupid working conditions! If nobody was striking then the working conditions would stay the same. The sooner we strike the better because then if we strike maybe the bosses will give in and give us a better place to work and more pay. The lousy pay doesn’t even help my family.” – Ezra
“Because if I didn’t then America wouldn’t be like this right now. If they hadn’t gone striking America would be the same in a bad way. I want to help.” – Suko
“We should go on strike because everybody is saying that it’s horrible. We’re just going to be fired either way. If we don’t go then we won’t be able to have better conditions. If we do go there is a chance that we might not have these conditions.” – Gia
“I think that I’m going to Cooper Union because if you just stay here nothing is going to change. You’re just going to keep sewing the same garments every day. The pay isn’t going to go up. The work is just going to get harder.” – Kieran
“Why would we want to stay in this job? It’s already awful.” – Alden
“We need to stand up because we need to share that we don’t like how we’re being treated. That’s a big enough reason for me to be out of my job. I want a sustainable life and I want to be known for doing something. If I strike it could change the future. Would you rather help the future and help make our country better or would you just care about yourself? I’d rather go to jail.” – Asher
“I am going to the meeting and I don’t care what anybody says! I don’t care if I lose my job! Because we have such bad working conditions and we’re forced to lie about them. We shouldn’t have to do that. Some of my friends here are underage and they have to be thrown into crates. All of that to get really low pay. It’s not fair! You have to think about other people not just yourself.” – Margot
“I only get one dollar a week and that’s not enough.” – Romy
“I know that a lot of people want to stay in their job because of the money but if a bunch of people go up against the factory owners then maybe America can change and everyone could have the thoughts of those people.” – Jade
“We’ll be more comfy in jail than we are here. Suck it up and strike!” – Makeda
“I am going to Cooper Union because that might lead to a strike. You have to work seven days a week, fourteen hours a day. If I can make a tiny dent in history that’s worth it.” – Miles
Not to Strike?
“I made my choice because I need the money. I can’t go. My life depends on it. So many people are doing it that it’s sort of depending on them. I’d rather be working hard.” – Crosby
“Even though it is low pay we still need the low pay to survive and to live. Make more money to give to your children and to taxes so that they can make a difference.” – Yves
“I’m just a regular citizen who gets my regular pay. I don’t care if I make a mark or not, I’m just helping my family.” – Avery
“I want more money because I live with a lot of people. If we stay working we can get more money. Then we could try to make things better.” – Sam
“I’m not going to the meeting or going on strike because I need the money to pay rent and food and feed my family.” – Nate
“It’s because you can go to jail, you can get fired from your job. You can possibly get killed striking. Also, what do we know about the future? I’m guessing a bunch of you who want to strike would not have wanted it if you were in the time period. I’m guessing you probably are inspired by the books we are reading. If we were actually working right now in a really bad factory, working low pay, surviving, you wouldn’t go on strike. It’s dangerous and your parents wouldn’t let you. Let other people handle it.” – Lorenzo
On the Fence
“I’m not going on strike. I don’t want to die or go to jail.” – Zen
Later that night…”On November 22, 1909, workers gathered at a huge meeting at the Cooper Union Building to decide what to do….A young union organizer and worker named Clara Lemlich made her way through the crowd. Climbing up onto the platform, she looked out over the sea of faces. Her eyes flashing, Clara electrified the crowd with her simple plea: ‘I have listened to all the speakers. I would not have further patiences for talk…I move that we go on a general strike!’” (Shutting Out the Sky by Deborah Hopkinson)
To be continued….
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Hey, personally if I was in this situation I would be pretty selfish and say, “You go do that and folic everything but if you got to jail it’s not my fault.”
If we went to jail, I wouldn’t care. At least we would go to jail knowing that we were fighting for our rights. Anyways, people would still get freed and protest/march all over again.
I agree with Zen. Even though the money was so little, People desperately needed it.
I agree with Zen. Even though they had low pay and bad working conditions, they needed the money.
I agree with Gia. We would eventually get out of jail, and keep fighting. Also, our trial would probably only be as short as Jay’s. And we would also probably keep fighting even in the jail cell, if we were optimistic enough.
I was suprised of how many people in our class chose to strike, and how they were going to be fired and they knew it. I think that people took this to seriously. For me at least, like three people came up to me and said I was wrong and was sorta getting in my path to talk to me face to face and those people know who they are.
I would care about money. I would care about being fired. I would care about going to jail if I was in that time period, but fighting for rights is not out of my comfort zone. I was surprised how many people in our class chose not to strike, and how only one person was undecided. I probably would rather strike, be fired and then get another job that might pay less but, I mean, I would be used to it.
if i actually ever did strike wouldn’t regret it. i might go to jail and lose my job but at I least might get better working conditions. and even if i don’t my voice was heard.
SUCK IT UP AND STRIKE!
-MAKEDA