Factory Workers in 1870s Chicago Strike for Safety and Fair Wages
In Episode One of Borrowed Lives, “Awakenings,” Elise wakes up in the body of a Textile Factory worker named Mary. Her coworker, Sarah, warns Elise to pay attention and button her sleeve cuff. Otherwise, Elise could lose her hand or even her whole arm. Working in a factory could be dangerous! In the 1870s, technological advances, particularly in making steel, allowed the construction of factories for mass production. Large-scale, well-financed companies came to dominate most industries. Factories no longer needed many skilled artisans or craftsmen, whose work could now be done by machine. Instead, they needed large numbers of unskilled or semiskilled workers to operate the machines. Working conditions in many of Chicago's factories were arduous and hazardous, with employees enduring long hours and unsafe environments. Industrial workers who experienced dangerous or exploitative conditions had little leverage to negotiate fair […]
