Woolworths Strike, August 1938

In August, 1938, saleswoman went on strike at the Woolworth store in Englewood, New Jersey. Sparked by the dismissal of two salesgirls who claim they were fired for suspected union activity rather than inefficiency, as Woolworth asserted. While Englewood was often portrayed as an unlikely site for labor unrest due to its wealth, the picket line has steadily grown and gained support, including from young residents of the city’s affluent areas. Wealthy women tended to support these "salesgirl" strikes because of the rapport they had developed with many of them while shopping. They were often witness to the managerial abuse suffered by many of these workers. The strike was notably orderly and well-mannered, with union representatives—particularly Robert Kennedy of Retail Employees Local 146—acting reasonably and proposing a fair solution: submitting the dispute to a group of impartial Englewood citizens and reinstating the workers if their case is upheld. Woolworth, was inflexible and dismissive, and refused to engage in mediation or independent review. The 1937–1938 Woolworth’s sit-down strike was part of the broader wave of militant labor actions during the Great Depression, inspired by the success of the Flint sit-down strike in the auto industry. At Woolworth’s and other “five-and-dime” retail chains, mostly young, low-paid women workers protested poor wages, long hours, speed-ups, and arbitrary firings. Beginning in 1937, workers in cities such as Detroit, New York, Chicago, and Boston occupied stores by sitting down at their counters and refusing to leave, effectively shutting down business while preventing replacement workers from entering. The strikes drew significant public attention because they challenged the idea that retail workers—especially women—were “unorganizable.” They were supported by unions affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which was expanding organizing efforts beyond heavy industry. By 1938, Woolworth’s and similar chains conceded to several demands, including wage increases, shorter hours, and union recognition in some locations. Although later court rulings restricted sit-down strikes, the Woolworth’s actions demonstrated the power of mass participation, gender-inclusive labor organizing, and direct action, helping to broaden the labor movement and reshape workers’ expectations of rights and dignity on the job. 

Bergen Record

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