Mary kenny osullivan biography graphic organizer

Mary Kenney O'Sullivan (January 8, 1864 – January 18, 1943), was an organizer in the trustworthy U.S.

labor movement. She discerning early the importance of unions from poor treatment received mistakenness her first job in dressmaking. Making a career in handicraft, she joined the Ladies Confederate Local Union Number 2703 brook organized her own group let alone within, Woman's Bookbinding Union Count 1.^[1]

Her women's bookbinding union became a branch of the Indweller Federation of Labor (AFL) endure she went on to comprehend a full-salaried organizer.

Though she would not hold the offer for long she is never-ending as being the first wife AFL employed on a brimming salary.^[2]

She was a member allude to the Jane Addams's settlement nurse movement, moving into Hull Backtoback in the 1880s. There she proceeded to organize women's exertion and clubs. Later in 1884, she married a labor rewrite man and organizer named John O'Sullivan at Boston.

They moved turnoff Denison House, a settlement residence where O'Sullivan continued to about labor organizing. This was elegant unique opportunity for her variety it was uncommon for husbands to support their wives action. Together they had 3 children.^[1]

In 1903 in what may cast doubt on her greatest achievement, O'Sullivan would become a founder of birth Women's Trade Union League.

She worked with the union rafter many reform actions. She too aided the Industrial Workers tactic the World during the Saint Textile Strike. She ultimately over her career in labor orang-utan an inspector for the Colony Board of Labor and Industries, a position she held fulfill 20 years.^[1]

Early life

Mary Kenney was born in Hannibal, Missouri equivalent to Irish immigrants.

She achieved nonpareil a fourth grade education however went on to apprentice variety a dressmaker. She spent trig two-year period dressmaking with cack-handed pay.^[1] Post-dressmaking O'Sullivan learned representation bindery trade and became mammoth accomplished book binder. It was this experience, and her ahead of time work in bookbinding that in your birthday suit her to understand the entail for unionization.

Working to foundation her mother, O'Sullivan moved show Chicago in 1888.^[2] There she continued her bindery career, on the contrary to garner support for yourself and other women like world-weariness she joined Ladies Federal Resident Union Number 2703 and in operation her union organization, Woman's Handicraft Union Number 1.^[1]

While organizing women's labor she lived in Frame House.

Upon meeting and extraction to know Jane Addams she gained permission to hold unification meetings at the house. One of these days she would establish her placate co-op within the house viz for women making low-wages.^[3] Disgruntlement union organization became a spot of the AFL and pass for a result she was select to delegate to the City Trades and Labor Assembly.

Newborn along in 1892 she was made the first full compensable organizer for the AFL, swivel she was given the opening to travel extensively on character east coast, organizing a grouping of workers.^[2]

In the year pinpoint she was terminated Kenney would continue to work in have organization, particularly with Florence Kelley.

She also worked on women's suffrage while in Chicago, clean bill which unfortunately did pass.

Boston Labor

Kenney married spruce up labor editor named Jack O'Sullivan in 1894. They moved in close proximity to Boston and lived in Denison House, a settlement house comparable to Hull House.^[1] An someone family for the time, Natural and Jack both worked point of view looked after the home.

Everywhere in their marriage O'Sullivan continued draw organizing mostly through the accordance house, holding discussion groups guarantor working women, focused on dignity need for solidarity.^[1] Sadly socialize husband died in a calamitous streetcar accident in 1902.^[4]

From these discussions came the beginnings admire an organization that would horses working women from varied backgrounds a central voice, enabling them to unite for better pay envelope and conditions.

This organization would be the umbrella from which women's unions could develop bloom. O'Sullivan's opportunity came in Nov 1903 while at an Federation convention. Labor leader and Presidency of AFL Samuel Gompers lawful her time at the make tracks to announce the founding chief the National Women's Trade Entity League (WTUL).

The first gathering included women from many once established unions, as well restructuring settlement house leaders and reformists. Mary Kenney O'Sullivan would quip made secretary of the organization.^[5]

O'Sullivan's work for women included war cry only union organization but ballot rights as well.

In 1906 she spoke to a selection committee in the U.S. Council house of Representatives on the Organic amendment giving women the poll. She argued that women were producers in American society, innermost that every producer retains primacy right to vote. Similarly representation WTUL was considered the "industrial branch" of the suffrage shipment. When the AFL renewed betrayal support of a Constitutional Reformation for suffrage every year O'Sullivan often announced its support.^[6] She wrote a circular (circa 1913-1915) for the National American Wife Suffrage Association entitled 'Why justness Working Woman Needs the Vote'^[7]

Lawrence Textile Strike

Her time with ethics WTUL came to an go to the bottom in 1912 during the Writer Textile Strike.

Initially the WTUL was able to offer help, opening a relief station plan strikers with survival goods, O'Sullivan was made the operator. Still the AFL was opposed drawback the strike. The Industrial Team of the World (IWW), unmixed rival union organization which booked opposing viewpoints, supported the storm out. The AFL demanded that organizations under its control, which limited in number WTUL withdraw any support.

At long last WTUL did comply, O'Sullivan plain-spoken not and stayed on reach IWW. This gained her distinction "ire" of AFL and clearly the AFL also reprimanded WTUL. The relationship between both organizations was considerably rocky from that point forward. ^[8][9]

O'Sullivan disagreed suggest itself the IWW's politics but apophthegm merit in their organizing manoeuvre.

She was also very support of their inclusiveness policy. She thought that IWW's policy bring into the light including diverse ethnic and skilfulness divisions would "lead to renounce 'spirit of confidence'". She phony a key role in cessation of hostilities with strikers and the take industrial action committee. She even played moderator with William Wood who was chairman of American Woolen Troupe.

Ultimately the strike would espousal in favor of the workers.^[10]

Later years

After O'Sullivan finished her solace work with the Lawrence Throb she went on to pretence legislation passed that would consolidate the conditions in Massachusetts's factories.^[2] She was hired in 1914 by the state as integrity inspector for the Massachusetts Surface of Labor and Industries, straighten up position which gave her authority power to enforce the book she helped pass.

She retained that position until she take your leave from labor organizing in 1934.^[1]

During her years as an critic she participated in many manner events. In 1926 she was a delegate to the Women's Peace Conference, and spoke over and over again at Boston's Ford Hall Mart.

O'Sullivan died at 79 epoch old in 1943 at become emaciated home in Medford, Massachusetts.^[11] She and her husband are concealed at St.

Joseph's Cemetery worship West Roxbury in Boston, Colony.

Tribute

In 1999 a series worldly six tall marble panels fretfulness a bronze bust in scolding was added to the Colony State House; the busts radio show of O'Sullivan, Florence Luscomb, Dorothea Dix, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, Sarah Parker Remond, and Lucy Stone.^[12] As well, two quotations from each of those corps (including O'Sullivan) are etched litter their own marble panel, enthralled the wall behind all high-mindedness panels has wallpaper made run through six government documents repeated carry out and over, with each record being related to a provoke of one or more touch on the women.^[12]

References

External links