ILGWU Local 180

ILGWU Local 180

21 x 17 x 3 inches

fabric, lace, pins, paper

2018

In 1959, in San Antonio, Texas the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union - Local 180 organized a strike against the Tex-Son garment factory demanding a living wage increase. Strikers faced violent opposition at the hands of the Tex-Son Company and police. This included intimidation, physical force, and arrests. Union members, a majority of whom where Mexican-American women, used creative tactics to earn the support of San Antonio which was traditionally known for its anti-union sentiment. Some of these tactics were to fashion themselves in attire that was deemed “ladylike” and use rhetoric that was centered around their roles as mothers. 

San Antonio born Sophie Gonzales was instrumental in this garment strike and was the first Mexican-American woman organizer in the history of Texas for ILGWU. This strike, that lasted from 1959 to 1963, was the beginning of her 35 years of dedication to labor union organizing in Texas. This work pays homage to the tenacity of Gonzales and her sister strikers.