Al Franken: Centennial of Triangle Shirtwaist fire reminds us of importance of strong labor movement

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_268

By U.S. Senator Al Franken
24 March 2011

WASHINGTON - On Friday, we mark the 100th anniversary of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist fire in New York City, an event that became a rallying cry for the U.S. labor movement and sparked many of the labor reforms and hard-won union rights that created our middle class and generations of widespread prosperity.


U.S. Senator Al Franken


In 1911, the Triangle sewing factory occupied the top three floors of the 10-story Asch building in Manhattan. It employed more than 500 people for long hours and low pay in cramped, sweatshop conditions, producing the “shirtwaist” blouses popular in that era.

On March 25 of that year, a fire quickly swept through the ill-prepared factory, killing 146 mostly female workers, some as young as 14. Terrified workers couldn’t get to escape routes because the factory’s owners kept the doors to the stairwell exits locked. The rickety fire escape collapsed, causing many to fall to their deaths. To escape the inferno, many were forced to jump to their deaths from windows eight or nine stories up. Much of this was witnessed by ordinary citizens on the ground, and by helpless firefighters whose ladders weren’t long enough to reach the workers.

The tragedy outraged the public, and energized a labor movement that went on to successfully win new laws that over several decades improved the safety and rights of workers not only in New York, but also across the country. Today, we all benefit from those laws and the ability of working men and women to have a voice in the workplace and collectively negotiate their working conditions. The national response to this tragic fire helped spur minimum wage laws, the 40-hour workweek, family and medical leave and many other reforms that union rights to collective bargaining have won for working families.


Bystanders watch in horror as dozens of young Jewish and Italian immigrant women jump to their deaths to escape the flames.

FULL story at link.

[applegrove]

1. You go Al!

[Blue Owl]

2. K & R

Thanks Al...

:kick: