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What are some benefits of signing the petition in the book Lyddie?

A petition is being circulated among the girls and women who work at Concord Corporation by the Female Labor Reform Association. Lyddie's friend Diana is very active in the Association and tries to get workers to sign the petition, which calls on the factories to reduce their work days from thirteen hours per day to ten. The primary reason workers would want to sign the petition is that it would pressure the factories to all...

A petition is being circulated among the girls and women who work at Concord Corporation by the Female Labor Reform Association. Lyddie's friend Diana is very active in the Association and tries to get workers to sign the petition, which calls on the factories to reduce their work days from thirteen hours per day to ten. The primary reason workers would want to sign the petition is that it would pressure the factories to all change their hours, allowing all the workers at all the factories to have more time for themselves. Although Lyddie had previously worked sixteen hours a day at the tavern, for much less pay, the fact is that a thirteen-hour work day means that the workers are almost slaves. Yes, they are paid for their work, but when they have only a few waking hours a day to call their own, not much separates them from slaves. Additionally, the long work days at the factories are bad for the workers' health. Workers seem to be able to keep up with the pace initially, but the girls get worn out and some succumb to serious sicknesses due to the long hours and poor air quality in the mill. If the petition was successful in causing the manufacturers to shorten the work day, workers would have more time to pursue their personal interests, such as education, and would have a better chance of staying healthy.

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