In”Complaint of a Lowell Factory Worker”, were mostly young unmarriedwomen, who suffered in factories and had terrible working conditions. The womanin the document persuaded her audience by providing 3 examples of poortreatment and inequality between white men and women. First, listed in thedocument when the women compared their working conditions and treatment toslaves working in the factory. Second, the women working in the factories alsoquestioned the true nature of Christian factory owners, who hardly ever gave thewomen time to practice their religion. Lastly, the woman in the complaintresulted in formed groups and strikes to try to improve their workingconditions to establish they were going to continue this way.
Theyoung woman workers often compared themselves to slaves.in the document it statedthat, “where no colored slave can breathe the balmy air, and exist as such; butthere are those, a host of them, too, who are in fact nothing more nor lessthan slaves in every sense of word, (Foner, P.167)”. In the document the womandescribed that the women were basically slaves to a working factory of labor whichhas them working from 5oclock to 7oclock, with maybe a break to get a sight of theoutside.
It’s clear to see that the writer’s feelings towards the factorysystem is negative because, they are treating the workers as if they were lowerthan low. They give them short amount of time to eat, and their work hoursleave them maybe two hours to themselves. Both factory workers and slaves weretreated poorly. Meals were very light, and they were forced to work inunsanitary places. These conditions that both had to endure were poorlyheated/ventilated buildings.
Although being a slave or factory worker washorrible, factory workers weren’t treated as bad. A lot of factory workers wenton strike, although most of the time they lost. That right was not given toslaves, if a slave disobeyed, they were automatically beaten. For the mostpart, factory workers did have a lot of things that slaves did not. Factoryworkers were heard in government, but slaves weren’t considered people andcouldn’t take a white man to court. Factory workers were given the right toform labor unions if their methods were “honorable and peaceful.” Althoughfactory workers at the time were treated very poorly and went through sometough times.
Factory workers weren’t forced to work there whereas slaves werebought/traded and forced to work on plantations. Slaves endured a lot and theseharsh conditions went on for a while. Since many factories owning business men, and knownas the bosses that were of the young woman, were Christians nearly all thewoman doubted the sincerity of the Christian beliefs of the factory owners. The woman in the complaint doubtedthe integrity of the white man who called themselves Christians. They foughtfor better hours, longer lunch break, higher wage, and better workingconditions.
The women are strong with what she believes, and she will not letit go without notice until these conditions are met. The woman doubted thewhite man’s Christian beliefs of the factory owner due to reason that the womanhad horrible working conditions in the factory. The complaint listed harshworking conditions, long hours and boredom as the major problems in the workingconditions, long hours, and horrible punishment, and they had to cope with sexdiscrimination. Before the industrial revolution, women did not work. They weresupposed to be housewives that took care of the children at the house. Eventhough women now had the opportunity to work and receive pay for their labor,they still suffered from the lingering stereotype that all women should notwork.
The primary awards for working in such harsh conditions is the fact thatthe money comes promptly, and they have the satisfaction of making their own income.Although the conditions are tough it also gives women a chance to interact withother women and converse with other people. Last it gives them a senseof freedom until work commences again.
