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The women gather in their tents to share stories, gossip and advice as their husbands carry out the strike against the coal mine owners. They give each other the courage to face sickness and death, the growing poverty, the advancing winter weather, their worries about their children, and bring what humor and tenderness they can to hard times. The days go by. The women support each other, as one loses her husband to the cross-fire in Ludlow, one flees with her scab lover, another is arrested. They create times of joy and dancing in the midst of loss and fear. the tension and skirmishes mount until finally the guards open fire. In the ensuing massacre most of the children and many of the women are killed, leaving only two at the end to carry on and tell the story so that the world will not forget.
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