1835 Paterson textile strike facts for kids

The 1835 Paterson textile strike was a big event in Paterson, New Jersey. More than 2,000 workers from 20 different textile mills (factories that make cloth) stopped working. Many of these workers were children and people of Irish background. They wanted to work fewer hours each day, asking for 11 hours instead of 13 and a half. Other workers in Paterson and nearby cities helped them, which allowed the strike to last for two weeks. However, the factory owners refused to talk to the workers. They ended the strike by saying they would reduce work hours to 12 hours on weekdays and 9 hours on Saturdays. After the strike ended, many of the strike leaders and their families were "blacklisted," meaning they couldn't find work in Paterson.

Why the Strike Happened

The 1830s were a time when many workers in the United States were unhappy. This was during the Industrial Revolution, when new machines changed how things were made. Factories were growing, and many people worked long hours for low pay. Workers across the country wanted shorter workdays and better wages. But many of their efforts and strikes failed.

Earlier Strikes and Worker Efforts

• Lowell Mill Strikes: In 1834, there were famous strikes by young women workers, known as the Lowell Mill strikes, in Lowell, Massachusetts. These strikes didn't succeed, but they got a lot of public attention. Workers in other factory towns watched closely.
• Boston Construction Workers: In 1835, construction workers in Boston also went on strike. They wanted shorter hours. Even with support from workers in cities like Philadelphia, Paterson, and Newark, this strike also failed.
• Philadelphia's Success: Inspired by Boston, workers in many different jobs in Philadelphia started a campaign. They wanted a ten-hour workday. With support from professionals in the city, they were mostly successful. This success gave hope to workers in other places.

The Paterson Strike Begins

Workers in Paterson hoped to have the same success as those in Philadelphia. Just before Independence Day in 1835, they began their strike. They demanded shorter working hours. They also wanted an end to unfair practices in the mills.

Workers' Demands and Support

• No More Fines: Workers wanted to stop the use of fines for small mistakes or breaking rules.
• Fair Wages: They wanted to end the practice of holding back wages.
• Company Stores: They also wanted to end the "company store" system. This system forced workers to buy goods from stores owned by the factory, often at high prices.
• Community Support: To help the strikers, a group called the Paterson Association for the Protection of the Working Class was formed. Workers in Newark and New York City also sent money to support the strike.

Who Were the Strikers?

Most of the strikers were children, and many of them were girls. A large number of these young workers were of Irish descent. Because of this, some newspapers, like the Lowell Intelligencer (which supported the factory owners), started using anti-immigrant language. They tried to turn people against the Irish workers.

How the Strike Ended

The factory owners refused to meet with the strikers. As a result, workers at other mills joined the strike. At its peak, 2,000 workers from 20 different mills were part of the strike. In response, the employers did reduce hours, but not as much as the strikers wanted. They changed the workday to 12 hours on weekdays and 9 hours on Saturdays.

This small reduction helped break the strike. Most of the workers went back to the mills. A few workers tried to keep striking for the 11-hour day, but they were not successful. The mill owners "blacklisted" the strike leaders and their families. This meant they were permanently blocked from getting jobs in Paterson. Even though the strike didn't get everything it wanted, it did lead to a big reduction in work hours. Historians David Roediger and Philip Foner said that the strike, which added 12 hours to each worker's weekly free time, "must have been counted a success by the children initiating it."