Waitresses at Woolworth’s staged an eight-day sitdown strike in 1937, singing, dancing, exercising, doing each others hair and nails until finally management recognized their union and gave them a five-cent per hour pay hike.

“Union Maid”
There once was a union maid;
She never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks
And the deputy sheriffs that made the raid.
She went to the union hall
When a meeting it was called,
And when the company boys came ’round
She always stood her ground.

 

 

More labor movement history:

Patricia K. Zacharias

The Detroit News