UPDATE JANUARY 2023 –at the time when I wrote this article there was a question about the timeline of the strike. My original blog post said 1949. That was not correct.
Some time around 1947 (not 1949 ) according to the LIFE archives, Arthur Murray dance teachers went on strike. Thanks to a friend of mine with access to the NY Times archives I now know that the strike was INDEED in 1947 and here is the news story….
Today’s Vintage Photo Tuesday is going to take you through that day.
But before we begin I would like to start off by saying that it was a slightly odd picket line. Yes there was your standard strike signs, but there was also women in swimsuits, a shirtless barefooted man, people dressed in different time period fashions, face masks, conga lines and of course lots of dancing.
Gosh, sounds like a fun strike to me!
“Working at Arthur Murrays isn’t just a song and dance. We want job security!”
“My master leads a dog’s life at Arthur Murrays studio”
“An Arthur Murray Teacher on Arthur Murray wages”. This seems to mean she can only afford a sweater, shorts and dance shoes. MAYBE that is why the women are wandering around in their swimsuits, to show that they can’t even afford a shirt on their back?
Early 1900’s Fashion made an appearance at the strike.
Charleston and 1920’s women’s fashion.
There are no descriptions to any of the images but this does look like the negotiation table. Or at least the place where all the demands were being collected.
That is the end of our dancing/striking teachers photos. I do hope their demands were met and dance was once again enjoyed by all that stepped into their studios.
UPDATE (Nov 30th): Thank you to Jeff Kellem (@composerjk) for shedding some light on the strike for us. It seems that there might of been multiple strikes in 1947 (as of January 2023 I can 100% confirm the strike was 1947). The image below is from New York city and the caption states 1947 as the year (Source).
As for the demands that the dance teachers were looking for, thanks to the civil suit Jeff found entitled ‘Gomez v United Office and Professional Workers’ we now have some insight.
Here is what they wanted:
Defendants and the dance studios of Arthur Murray in New York are engaged in a controversy concerning the terms and conditions of employment of Arthur Murray’s dancing instructors in New York. This controversy concerns minimum wages, union recognition, job security, grievance procedure and an alleged lockout of dancing instructors employed in the New York studio (Source).
Lastly Jeff also believes that the images in my post are from a Chicago because the Cable Building (57 East Jackson Building), on 57 E. Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL is in the image (GREAT EYE Jeff!)
Now dear readers, if any of you know anything more about the strike please share in the comments below. Thanks!
FURTHER READING:
- Swing Dance & The Big Band Era – Archived blog posts from the Vintage Inn Blog
- Ontario Vintage Dance Hall History – Archived blog posts on various dance halls
- Vintage Photo Tuesday-The 1947 Dance Teachers Strike
- Prom in the 1940s & 1950s
- Vintage Photo Tuesday: The Social Dance
- Vintage Dance Cards
- Time to Dance! Vintage Instructions to get you dancing in no time
- 1940s Women’s Fashion Ideas For Your Next Vintage Dance
- The Dancing Side of the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend
Liz