With the newfound support from the Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL), Lemlich decided to begin speaking out against the unfair actions being enforced by the store and factory owners. She would often find a small business to infiltrate, positioning herself as one of the workers. Once she felt the time was right, she would motivate the women working there to rebel. In the year 1907, Lemlich led a 10-week strike at Weisen & Goldsteins waist shop. This meant that many women left the business, forcing the owners to find new skilled workers, therefore reducing production. Lemlich also led a walkout at Gotham waist factory in 1908. She led the Leiserson’s strike, too, which was her third strike in three years.
In the year 1909, a union meeting was occurring at Cooper Union in Manhattan. Clara Lemlich stood in front of the crowd, and, speaking in Yiddish, proposed the idea of a massive strike, thus beginning the “Uprising of the 20,000.” This eventually became part of the labor movement, as, when it ended in 1910, the women’s requests were finally agreed to. With this strike, shops agreed to pay higher wages and the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union was recognized, as well as a 52-hour working week. This large strike also triggered many other groups in other cities to stand up for their own rights.
"I Want to Vote But My Wife Won’t Let Me” Postcard from 1910.