In the clothing trade of the 1890s, establishments like Eaton's chose to contract out for finished garments. Contractors offered piecework to women and children who took the material home to sew. This system enabled contractors to pay extremely low wages. The separation of the workers in their own homes made communication of comparative wages rates difficult and prevented organization among the workers. Oppressively long hours were spent over the needle. Opposition to sweated labour became effective when fear of contagious diseases was linked to the conditions of the sweat shop.
