Washington Square News, March 26, 2011, Saturday

Washington Square News

March 26, 2011, Saturday

Washington Square News

Unions, families of victims remember the Triangle fire

by Emily Yang

Hundreds of people gathered on Washington Place Friday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, which broke out in the eighth and ninth floors of what is now the NYU Brown Building. 146 workers died, fueling reform and calls for regulation in the workplace.

The ceremony, hosted by Workers United, began at 11 a.m. with musical performers. A procession of victims' family members, labor unions, theater and dance troupes and students marched from Union Square to Washington Place.

Harry Katz, the dean of the Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School at Cornell University, was among those in attendance at the ceremony.

Katz's grandparents, who were immigrants from Russia, worked in sweatshops.

"[My grandparents] didn't really like to talk about the work – it was hard work," Katz said.

They were also part of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), a union that actively fought for change after the Triangle fire.

The ILR School now keeps the archives and papers of the ILGWU, and uses those materials to build a website where school children can learn about the fire.

The Wells family attended the ceremony in memory of their family member, 18-year old Annie Nicholas, a trimmer who worked and died in the Triangle factory.

"My grandmother told me that [Annie] was making $12 a week, and that she actually escaped from the fire at first," Matthew Wells, Nicholas' great-great-great-nephew, said. "But she went back to get her scissors and then died. She jumped out of a window, because the autopsy said she died of broken bones."

At 12 p.m. speakers and honored guests began to take the podium to address the crowd, emphasizing the fire's legacy and the rights labor unions have fought to secure over the past century.

Bruce Raynor, the president of Workers United, led the ceremony.

"We've come together to remind ourselves that those workers were killed by the greed of their bosses and the inaction of public officials to provide a safe way to exit those buildings," Raynor said. "Those workers were fighting for their rights, to have a union for that workplace, and the right to be treated with dignity and respect on the job, something that's God-given in the City of New York and in our country."

Other speakers included President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Mary Kay Henry, president of 1199SEIU George Gresham, New York Senator Charles Schumer, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actor/activist Danny Glover.

"We must always protect our most vulnerable workers," Solis said. "We must provide safeguards and a safety net for all workers, and yes, we must ensure that all workers have a voice at the table."

Mayor Bloomberg described how the fire affected New York City and the increased workplace safety measures that were enforced after the tragedy. He noted that the work to improve working conditions never really ends; instead, it passes from one generation to another.

"That tragic fire shocked our city, stirred its conscience, and brought out the true strength of our community," Bloomberg said. "New Yorkers were outraged by the unsafe, inhumane conditions that took the lives of 146 people here. They said, 'That's not America; we can do better,' and they took action. That's why today, we're taking action."

Bloomberg, who has instituted budget cuts opposed by public sector unions during his time as mayor, was booed loudly during his speech.

At the end of the ceremony, local school children and families of the victims read the names of the workers who lost their lives in the fire.

Danny Glover spoke on the importance of memory and social activism:

"In memory of [the victims], it is imperative that we have the answers, that we come up with the answers for the future of not only our children, but for the future of the world, the future of this precious planet that we live on."

Emily Yang is a staff writer. Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.