Aid Girl Stikers (at Silk Mill) 1910

The New York Call

“Devoted to the Interests of Working People”

January 5, 1910

Aid Girl Strikers

Scranton, Pa., Central Labor Union Takes Decisive Action

Scranton, Pa., Jan. 4 – Daniel Hartnett, a member of the advisory board of the Silk Workers’ Union, announced at the last meeting of the Central Labor Union that the girls at the Simpson mill, Minooka, were fourteen weeks on strike, and so far as he knew, there was no [action] made on either side to effect a settlement.

Hartnett made a strong plea for funds to aid the strikers. He said that many of them were feeling acutely in the effects of their prolonged idleness, but that they were determined to remain out until the two demands that they have made of throwers of the mill were conceded.

It was stated by some of the delegates of the Minooka local that there were only four girls at work in the mill. It was also stated that when the strike was settled some thirty of the girls who were formerly working in the mill will not be permitted to return to work, owing to the fact that they have not reached the age limit fixed by the new factory law.

After some discussion of the situation a motion was made and adopted that the following delegates be instructed to help the girls obtain funds from the various locals in and around Scranton: John T. Dempsey of the Miners’ Union; P.M. Moffitt, of the Saddlers’ Union; Joseph Hodgkins, of the Miners’ Union; Michael Kane, of the Teamsters’ Union; P.J. Keegan, of the Street Car Men’s Union, and William La Fontaine, of the Molders’ Union.


Contributed by Maria Montoro Edwards