Sewing Machine Operator - Might have experience working as
a tailor in Europe, almost always a man. Often the operator
was the contractor himself, who employed the workers in the
sweatshop.
Baster - Prepared the garments for the operator by fitting
the pieces together
.
Finisher - Responsible for adding the finishing touches to
the garment by hand; mostly women in teens and early 20s. Because
the finisher was often the only woman in the sweatshop, she
might suffer sexual harassment from her male co-workers. As
a result, many preferred to work with predominantly women workforces
in factories or to get married and leave the shop.
Presser - Always a male as he had to lift the heavy irons,
which weighed up to 20 pounds. Usually an elderly male. First
person accounts from workers in the sweatshops cite that many
of the pressers were Orthodox Jews.
(Most shops would also employ workers at an apprentice status who
would perform miscellaneous tasks such as hauling coal, sweeping
the shop, and carrying finished goods to the manufacturer.)
