The Triangle fire: A spark that transformed the labor laws of the United States

The United States underwent an economic transformation during the Era of Industrialization that characterized the second half of the nineteenth century. The introduction of the assembly line sped up the process of production and enabled goods to be sold for less. The increase of immigration to the United States provided a steady flow of employees to the burgeoning factories in many of the country's major cities. Ruthless tactics emerged among management teams in order to remain competitive within the new markets; this was especially true among garment factories in the newest fashion capital of the world, New York City. Strikes were common due to the declining conditions within the workplace, the inhumane working hours expected of all employees, and the meager pay. An organized strike among all women workers within the garment industry, later known as the Uprising of Twenty Thousand, secured workers decreased working hours and higher pay, more stable employment schedules, and engaged the interest of many upper middle class women who aided the strikers. Yet not all companies were forced to negotiate with the strikers and some, including the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, were large enough to escape the workers' plea to recognize their union.;The fire at the Triangle Company occurred in 1911 and sparked public outrage about the true conditions of factory life. Strikes and boycotts were regular occurrences during the Industrial Era but no workplace tragedy had killed so many young working women. The Factory Investigating Committee was formed to provide a detailed account of the conditions of the Triangle factory at the time of the fire and to investigate other factories throughout the state. Improved safety standards were established and enforced by members of the FIC and other state funded investigators. The committee was headed by Robert Wagner who was later elected to the United States Senate and led the crusade for the protection of workers' rights at the federal level. Although the FIC lasted only four years, the effects of the Triangle fire lingered through the passage of the Wagner Act in 1935 and remain an example of a terrible tragedy resulting from insufficient safety protections.