Garment Labor Garment Labor UnionsUnions

Near closing time on Saturday afternoon, March 25, Near closing time on Saturday afternoon, March 25, 1911, a fire broke out on the top floors of the Asch 1911, a fire broke out on the top floors of the Asch Building in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Within Building in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Within minutes, the quiet spring afternoon erupted into minutes, the quiet spring afternoon erupted into madness, a terrifying moment in time, disrupting madness, a terrifying moment in time, disrupting forever the lives of young workers. forever the lives of young workers.

By the time the fire was over, 146 of the 500 By the time the fire was over, 146 of the 500 employees had died. The survivors were left to live and employees had died. The survivors were left to live and relive those agonizing moments. The victims and their relive those agonizing moments. The victims and their families, the people passing by who witnessed the families, the people passing by who witnessed the desperate leaps from ninth floor windows, and the City desperate leaps from ninth floor windows, and the City of New York would never be the same. of New York would never be the same. 

Survivors recounted the horrors they had to endure, Survivors recounted the horrors they had to endure, but passers-by and reporters also told stories of pain but passers-by and reporters also told stories of pain and terror they had witnessed. The images of death and terror they had witnessed. The images of death were seared deeply in their mind's eyes.were seared deeply in their mind's eyes.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Building (New York)Source

 http://newdeal.feri.org/images

Many of the Triangle factory workers were women, Many of the Triangle factory workers were women, some as young as 15 years old. some as young as 15 years old.

They were, for the most part, recent Italian and They were, for the most part, recent Italian and European Jewish immigrants who had come to the European Jewish immigrants who had come to the United States with their families to seek a better life. United States with their families to seek a better life. Instead, they faced lives of grinding poverty and Instead, they faced lives of grinding poverty and horrifying working conditions. horrifying working conditions.

As recent immigrants struggling with a new language As recent immigrants struggling with a new language and culture, the working poor were ready victims for and culture, the working poor were ready victims for the factory owners. For these workers, speaking out the factory owners. For these workers, speaking out frequently would end with the loss of desperately frequently would end with the loss of desperately needed jobs, a prospect that forced them to endure needed jobs, a prospect that forced them to endure personal indignities and severe exploitation. personal indignities and severe exploitation.

Some turned to labor unions to speak for them; many Some turned to labor unions to speak for them; many more struggled alone. The Triangle Factory was a non-more struggled alone. The Triangle Factory was a non-union shop although some of its workers had joined the union shop although some of its workers had joined the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.

the building after the fire Inside

New York City, with its tenements and loft factories, New York City, with its tenements and loft factories, had witnessed a growing concern for issues of health had witnessed a growing concern for issues of health and safety in the early years of the 20th century.and safety in the early years of the 20th century.

Groups such as the International Ladies' Garment Groups such as the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) and the Womens' Trade Workers' Union (ILGWU) and the Womens' Trade Union League (WTUL) fought for better working Union League (WTUL) fought for better working conditions and protective legislation.conditions and protective legislation.

Fire inspections and precautions were woefully Fire inspections and precautions were woefully inadequate at the time. inadequate at the time.

The Triangle Fire tragically illustrated these The Triangle Fire tragically illustrated these inadequacies.inadequacies.

Workers recounted their helpless efforts to open the Workers recounted their helpless efforts to open the ninth floor doors to the Washington Place stairs. They ninth floor doors to the Washington Place stairs. They and many others afterwards believed they were locked. and many others afterwards believed they were locked.

For all practical purposes, the ninth floor fire For all practical purposes, the ninth floor fire escape in the Asch Building led nowhere, escape in the Asch Building led nowhere, certainly not to safety, and it bent under the certainly not to safety, and it bent under the weight of the factory workers trying to escape weight of the factory workers trying to escape the inferno.the inferno.

Others waited at the windows for the rescue Others waited at the windows for the rescue workers only to discover that the firefighters' workers only to discover that the firefighters' ladders were several stories too short and the ladders were several stories too short and the water from the hoses could not reach the top water from the hoses could not reach the top floors. floors.

Many chose to jump to their deaths rather than Many chose to jump to their deaths rather than to burn alive.to burn alive.

Twisted fire escape

March 25, 1911. Fighting the Fire

Police and onlookers standing by the bodies of women who leapt from the burning building

Protesting voices arose, bewildered and angry at the lack of Protesting voices arose, bewildered and angry at the lack of concern and the greed that had made this possible. concern and the greed that had made this possible.

The people demanded restitution, justice, and action that The people demanded restitution, justice, and action that would safeguard the vulnerable and the oppressed. Outraged would safeguard the vulnerable and the oppressed. Outraged cries calling for action to improve the unsafe conditions in cries calling for action to improve the unsafe conditions in workshops could be heard from every quarter, from the workshops could be heard from every quarter, from the mainstream conservative to the progressive and union press.mainstream conservative to the progressive and union press.

Workers flocked to union quarters to offer testimonies, Workers flocked to union quarters to offer testimonies, support mobilization, and demand that Triangle owners Harris support mobilization, and demand that Triangle owners Harris and Blanck be brought to trial. and Blanck be brought to trial.

The role that strong unions could have in helping prevent The role that strong unions could have in helping prevent such tragedies became clear.such tragedies became clear.

Workers organized in powerful unions would be more Workers organized in powerful unions would be more conscious of their rights and better able to obtain safe conscious of their rights and better able to obtain safe working conditions. working conditions.

Some of the dead, surrounded by police and firefighters

In the weeks that followed, the grieving In the weeks that followed, the grieving city identified the dead, sorted out their city identified the dead, sorted out their belongings, and reeled in numbed grief at belongings, and reeled in numbed grief at the atrocity that could have been averted the atrocity that could have been averted with a few precautions. with a few precautions.

The International Ladies' Garment The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union proposed an official day Workers' Union proposed an official day of mourning. The grief-stricken city of mourning. The grief-stricken city gathered in churches, synagogues, and gathered in churches, synagogues, and finally, in the streets.finally, in the streets.

Bodies lined up for identification

Eight months after the fire a jury acquitted Blanck and Harris, the factory owners, Eight months after the fire a jury acquitted Blanck and Harris, the factory owners, of any wrong doing. of any wrong doing.

The task of the jurors had been to determine whether the owners knew that the The task of the jurors had been to determine whether the owners knew that the doors were locked at the time of the fire. Customarily, the only way out for doors were locked at the time of the fire. Customarily, the only way out for workers at quitting time was through an opening on the Green Street side, where workers at quitting time was through an opening on the Green Street side, where all pocketbooks were inspected to prevent stealing. Worker after worker testified all pocketbooks were inspected to prevent stealing. Worker after worker testified to their inability to open the doors to their only viable escape route — the stairs to to their inability to open the doors to their only viable escape route — the stairs to the Washington Place exit, because the Green Street side stairs were completely the Washington Place exit, because the Green Street side stairs were completely engulfed by fire. More testimony supported this factengulfed by fire. More testimony supported this fact

Yet the brilliant defense attorney Max Steuer planted enough doubt in the jurors' Yet the brilliant defense attorney Max Steuer planted enough doubt in the jurors' minds to win a not-guilty verdict.minds to win a not-guilty verdict.

Grieving families and much of the public felt that justice had not Grieving families and much of the public felt that justice had not been done. "Justice!" they cried. "Where is justice?" been done. "Justice!" they cried. "Where is justice?"

Twenty-three individual civil suits were brought against the owners of the Asch Twenty-three individual civil suits were brought against the owners of the Asch building. On March 11, 1913, three years after the fire, Harris and Blanck settled. building. On March 11, 1913, three years after the fire, Harris and Blanck settled. They paid $75 per life lost. They paid $75 per life lost.

http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/m_r/pinsky/triangle.htmhttp://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/m_r/pinsky/triangle.htm

Questions to PonderQuestions to Ponder

1. What did the Triangle Shirt 1. What did the Triangle Shirt Factory Fire cause?Factory Fire cause?

2. Are labor unions need in 2. Are labor unions need in American industry?American industry?

3. Could this happen today?3. Could this happen today?

Cambodia's growing experiment with unionismCambodia's growing experiment with unionismAugust 14, 2000 August 14, 2000

Web posted at: 5:06 AM HKT (2106 GMT)Web posted at: 5:06 AM HKT (2106 GMT) PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Faced with mounting intimidation and PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Faced with mounting intimidation and

violence from factory owners and police after strikes and street rallies, violence from factory owners and police after strikes and street rallies, thousands of Cambodian garment workers seeking better wages recently thousands of Cambodian garment workers seeking better wages recently decided enough was enough. decided enough was enough.

They went back to work. They went back to work.

"Let the workers go back to work and get money first and we will strike "Let the workers go back to work and get money first and we will strike again," said Chea Vichea, leader of the Free Trade Union of the Workers again," said Chea Vichea, leader of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, a maverick union. "It does not mean we of the Kingdom of Cambodia, a maverick union. "It does not mean we have lost." have lost."

Not exactly the sort of comments that strike fear in global corporate Not exactly the sort of comments that strike fear in global corporate boardrooms. But it's not a bad entrance for Cambodia's newly aggressive boardrooms. But it's not a bad entrance for Cambodia's newly aggressive labor movement, either. labor movement, either.

As the garment industry rapidly expands in this As the garment industry rapidly expands in this impoverished Southeast Asia nation, fueled by impoverished Southeast Asia nation, fueled by voracious foreign demand for low-cost labor, a voracious foreign demand for low-cost labor, a fledgling movement is defying perceptions that fledgling movement is defying perceptions that most Cambodian workers are just thankful for a most Cambodian workers are just thankful for a job in the new economy. job in the new economy.

So far, sporadic job actions have met with So far, sporadic job actions have met with mixed response, bringing only minor mixed response, bringing only minor improvements in working conditions -- hardly improvements in working conditions -- hardly cutting into Cambodia's growing reputation as cutting into Cambodia's growing reputation as a cheap haven for foreign manufacturers. a cheap haven for foreign manufacturers.

But as the new math spreads into the But as the new math spreads into the Cambodian workplace, employees are growing Cambodian workplace, employees are growing increasingly vocal over low pay, long hours and increasingly vocal over low pay, long hours and dreary job conditions. dreary job conditions.

Amid the 200-odd factories that have opened Amid the 200-odd factories that have opened in Cambodia the past five years, the world in Cambodia the past five years, the world economy has come home to decidedly mixed economy has come home to decidedly mixed reviews. reviews.

"At least we should have Sunday to take a rest. "At least we should have Sunday to take a rest. We are human," Im Voeun, 29, said during a We are human," Im Voeun, 29, said during a 30-minute lunch break one recent Saturday on 30-minute lunch break one recent Saturday on the main road south of the capital, where the main road south of the capital, where garment factories are clustered. garment factories are clustered.

She often must work 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., and She often must work 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., and sometimes seven days a week -- even though sometimes seven days a week -- even though Cambodia has an official six-day work week. Cambodia has an official six-day work week.

Like other developing nations from Asia to Like other developing nations from Asia to Africa to Central America, Cambodia takes its Africa to Central America, Cambodia takes its place near the bottom of the global industrial place near the bottom of the global industrial pecking order, cheaply providing many of the pecking order, cheaply providing many of the low-end products the developed world low-end products the developed world consumes. consumes.

The garment industry, with more than 100,000 The garment industry, with more than 100,000 workers, is now Cambodia's biggest export workers, is now Cambodia's biggest export earner by far and supplies such retailers as earner by far and supplies such retailers as Nike, Gap, Fruit of the Loom, Oshkosh, Ralph Nike, Gap, Fruit of the Loom, Oshkosh, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Columbia Sportswear, Lauren, Calvin Klein and Columbia Sportswear, according to union activists. according to union activists.

In the new world economy, retailers shop In the new world economy, retailers shop around for the lowest-cost suppliers, and around for the lowest-cost suppliers, and suppliers -- the factory owners, or middlemen, suppliers -- the factory owners, or middlemen, in some cases -- shop around for the lowest-in some cases -- shop around for the lowest-cost production facilities, wherever in the world cost production facilities, wherever in the world they may be. they may be.

""The prize goes to those countries with the The prize goes to those countries with the lowest wages, longest hours and most lowest wages, longest hours and most repressive treatment of their work forcerepressive treatment of their work force," ," said a report on the Asian garment industry by said a report on the Asian garment industry by the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, an arm of the Roman Catholic Church in an arm of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. England and Wales.

Questions to PonderQuestions to Ponder

1. Why are the abuses still1. Why are the abuses still

going on?going on?

2.2. Who is responsible?Who is responsible?

3.3. What can you do to change the What can you do to change the situation?situation?

MasksMasksMichael Jordan soars through the air,

on shoes of unpaid labor.

A boy kicks a soccer ball, the bloody hands are forgotten.

An excited girl combs the hair of her Barbie, an over-worked girl makes it.

A child receives a teddy bear,Made in China has no meaning.

The words "hand made" are printed,whose hands were used to make them?

A six year old in America starts his first day of school, A six year old in Pakistan starts his first day of work.

They want us to see the ball, not to see the millions of ball stitchers.

The world is full of many masks,

the hard part is seeing beneath them.

Cameron Robinson