Women Picketers

June 1914

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Women Picketers
  • Title
  • Women Picketers
  • Date
  • June 1914
  • Identifier
  • 913.14B.SW
  • Description
  • Two of the many women who participated in the marching and picketing during the 1914 strike pose for the camera with American flags in hand. Their clothing indicates that they may be two of the many East Pittsburgh marchers who paraded and picketed in Swissvale during the first day of walkout at "The Switch." Women played a vital role in the Westinghouse strike of 1914 and perhaps no role was more important than that which was played by Bridget Kenny. Kenny, dubbed the "Joan de Arc" of the strike by the Pittsburgh Leader, was integral in organizing marches and recruiting workers to the ACIU. Kenny was formally employed by Westinghouse but was let go on February 7th, 1913 for selling union benefit tickets on company grounds. The 1914 strike at the Union Switch & Signal Plant began on June 12th when between 1,100 and 1,400 employees walked out at lunch time to picket and join some 2000 strikers from other Westinghouse plants marching on Edgewood and Braddock Avenues in Swissvale. Organized by the Allegheny Congenial Industrial Union, the strikers demanded an eight-hour day, reinstatement of discharged union men, permission for workmen to elect grievance committees, and higher overtime and holiday rates. The union claimed victory upon culmination of the walkout on June 27th, saying that the company had agreed to allow committees and consider the other grievances. Company general manager H.G. Prout dismissed these claims however, asserting that no promises were made to the employees.
  • Type
  • still image
  • Genre
  • photographs
  • Subject
  • Women
    Women political activists
    Political activists
    Strikes and lockouts
  • Geographic Subjects
  • Swissvale (Pa.)
  • Source
  • Union Switch & Signal Strike Photograph Collection, June 1914
  • Contributor
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Collection
  • Union Switch & Signal Strike Photographs
  • Rights Information
  • Copyright Not Evaluated. The copyright and related rights status of this Item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
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