> MARCH 25 IS THE 115TH ANNIVERSARY of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory > fire, which killed 146 garment workers, 123 of whom were women or teenage > girls. It was one of the worst industrial disasters ever in New York State, > certainly the worst such disaster that was over in less than a day. > (Long-term disasters in New York State workplaces, such as those caused by > exposure to asbestos and PCBs, have had many more victims, but over the > course of years, not minutes.) > > The Triangle Shirtwaist fire victims were killed by a fast-moving fire in > a crowded high-rise factory where most of the fire exits were locked, > forcing the victims to choose between being incinerated or jumping to > certain death from windows 200 feet above the street. > The deadly 1911 fire in Greenwich Village had both immediate and > long-lasting effects. It gave nascent labor unions the opportunity to > organize an extraordinary demonstration, a solemn 3-mile-long memorial > parade through the middle of Manhattan by more than 120,000 workers and > their supporters. > > More than 400,000 people lined the parade route, meaning that more than > ten percent of the city’s population was actively involved. Even though it > took place on a workday, many workplaces were left nearly empty, turning > the memorial event into an unprecedented general strike. > > Garment workers' unions saw a major membership surge, and the rage and > revulsion at working conditions that caused such carnage gave the state > legislature the courage to appoint a Factory Investigating Commission, > which held hearings all around the state and drafted more than 40 bills to > improve working conditions, almost all of which became law. > > March 25 is marked with a solemn annual ceremony by workers’ > organizations, occupational safety and health advocates, and the New York > City Fire Department, which fills the street outside the building where so > many were killed. This year’s commemoration will begin at 11:30am at > Washington Place and Greene Street. > > > *https://portside.org/2025-03-27/triangle-shirtwaist-factory-fire-commemoration-march-25-1911* > <https://portside.org/2025-03-27/triangle-shirtwaist-factory-fire-commemoration-march-25-1911> >
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#41241): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/41241 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/118484110/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
