Republicans would like to bust unions. Many say that unions do not protect workers so much as they hurt business. Business should be unfettered; laissez faire sounds nice, don’t you think? We ought never sacrifice our “sacred cows,” our businesses; for, why should a CEO not make tens of millions a year? Why, don’t you know—you, meaning us, the ignorant—that they—meaning the rich, the corporate crusaders—create jobs? Unions have ruined our country, the Republicans say. No good, after all, has ever come from giving power to the many, the “minions,” they say. No; like the slaves before the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, and women before the 19th amendment, we must let wealthy, empowered interests—slaveholders, men—do the thinking, talking, and legislating. “Negroes,” (and I use this term to show the retrenchment of progress back to a time when such a word would roll off just about anyone’s tongue), immigrants, and women need not apply—not our gifts, for we have none; not our voices; for, we cannot say anything of consequence, and should not wish our voices to join the voices of those who know better; no—Republicans say—for, we have no gifts, and, to see or say otherwise is just more proof of naivety.
The irony is that Republicans belong to one of the most elite unions ever created and abused. Let’s see…what other examples might I be able to give to illustrate my point: Hitler headed the Nazi union, Mussolini headed the Fascist union, but, yes, war did disabuse us of them. Could it be that we must “go to war,” throw a revolution and see who comes? Maybe, maybe. As I recall, I believe we have that right. Yes, “…the right to alter or abolish government…” when it no longer serves the needs of the People. (See the Constitution of the United States of America , the Declaration of Independence
And, these guys who made up all that stuff about, “a more perfect Union,” and a “government by, of, and for the People,” well, call me ignorant, but I just don’t see them going for corporate blackmail, the sacrifice of the greater good, the fawning over of the few at the cost of the many, or the tyranny of the minority. Let me note the Munich Agreement of 1938—better known as the appeasement of Hitler: how did that work out for England USA , almost 16% in Greece , almost 20% in Syria Middle East , where most countries’ median age is less than 24 years, and there are no jobs, no public schools, no public welfare programs—no satisfaction of the many. (But, civilian death, torture, imprisonment, and rape as an accepted punishment of women are on the rise).
I don’t know about anyone else, but I like Child Labor laws and collective bargaining. I like fairness--what an ideal! Safety in the workplace is good, too. Pension plans and job security get all my dogs barking. Labor unions got us and give us these things. The corporate culture would take decisive aim for my head over my philosophy, so, they can have a party--the Republican one. Unions ruin that party, they say. Taxes are bad enough, but unions? Unions, like taxes, are insidious, they say. Taxes. Ok. Let's take that one on, just a little. Republicans tell me that we are Taxed Enough Already--the TEA Party in particular loves that phrase. But, wouldn't it be a grand old party for everyone if things were fair and level? Republicans tell me I am stupid, that the more the government raises corporate taxes and taxes on the wealthiest, the more we will pay for everything. Well, we have had an extension of tax breaks for those few and we are paying more, getting less. So, your point? And, to the rest of us, how's that been working for you? Now that they have robbed the narrative, gotten the ear of the elderly and others through fear, taxed the many too much and the few too little, are we going to let this group of wingnuts take away our unions?
You see, I know that cutting taxes on the top 2% of Americans (who hold about 95% of all our wealth) does not create jobs. It creates greed. It creates a 24% pay raise for the country’s CEOs, who are earning, on average, approximately 700 times what one of their average workers makes (not including bonuses), and who, while seeing their pay fall approximately 9% in 2009, saw their retirement packages increase by 23% in that same year, when recession was deepest. But they made up for that in the ensuing two years, mostly by downsizing—cutting their workforces, improving their own pay, and making existing employees work many times harder for their daily bread--and outsourcing U.S. jobs to places where they can pay people less than what might even be a living wage, and increasing their profits. More for less. Profits. Well, just what are those businesses with great profit margins doing? Do you think they are giddy with the idea of hiring others? I don't think so, or unemployment would be down. No, cynic that I am, I say that they are prospering even more from their profits, and are giddy from knowing there is this Grand Old Party celebrating their greed (because some of it will end up in the pockets and PACs of Republicans; for, what goes around comes around). Now, isn’t one yacht, three houses, and a chauffer or two enough for any one person? I know, I know…silly me.
You see, I know that cutting taxes on the top 2% of Americans (who hold about 95% of all our wealth) does not create jobs. It creates greed. It creates a 24% pay raise for the country’s CEOs, who are earning, on average, approximately 700 times what one of their average workers makes (not including bonuses), and who, while seeing their pay fall approximately 9% in 2009, saw their retirement packages increase by 23% in that same year, when recession was deepest. But they made up for that in the ensuing two years, mostly by downsizing—cutting their workforces, improving their own pay, and making existing employees work many times harder for their daily bread--and outsourcing U.S. jobs to places where they can pay people less than what might even be a living wage, and increasing their profits. More for less. Profits. Well, just what are those businesses with great profit margins doing? Do you think they are giddy with the idea of hiring others? I don't think so, or unemployment would be down. No, cynic that I am, I say that they are prospering even more from their profits, and are giddy from knowing there is this Grand Old Party celebrating their greed (because some of it will end up in the pockets and PACs of Republicans; for, what goes around comes around). Now, isn’t one yacht, three houses, and a chauffer or two enough for any one person? I know, I know…silly me.
All sarcasm—I prefer to call it levity—aside, I think unions and the power to meet power on a more level field is important. I firmly believe there is room in our Union for unions. I do not believe any of us would like to put up Chinese drywall in our homes, or buy cheap things made in sweatshops. Sweatshops. Would you want to work in one? Sweatshops. Like the Triangle Shirtwaist factory downtown New York
Some of those who worked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company were members of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, or ILGWU. The union was founded in 1900, and had brought about the “Great Revolt” of 1910, when 60,000 garment workers went on strike for better wages and working conditions. The union gained formal recognition as a legitimate union after that protest, but was still in its nascent stage at the time of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire. More to the point, thinking about protection of workers was also in its nascent stage, but, the women and men who died on that fateful day, one hundred years ago, did not die in vain, to be sure:
* “As a result of the Triangle fire, the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), the union to which some of the Triangle workers belonged, stepped up its organizing efforts and fought to improve working conditions for garment workers. Also a public outcry prompted the New York State
Please see:
* The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire. Editors: Hope Nisly and Patrizia Sione; Editorial Assistant: Melissa Holland; Photograph Editor: Paulette Manos; Web design: David DeMello and Linda Fisher. The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives at Cornell University in cooperation with the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, AFL-CIO (UNITE), 1998.
I know, I know. Who wants a history lesson on a hot summer’s afternoon? Call me crazy, but I think this stuff is important to know. You see, I think it is important to remember, as we come to the celebration of our nation’s independence, its birth, its development and advancement toward greatness, and more greatness still, that people die so that others can have a better life. People like the soldiers who gave their lives in our fights to be free, and those who came here, worked hard, and died in tragedy so that others might be spared the same fate, might have it better. They were not CEOs, not wealthy, not privileged.
They were:
NAME OF FIRE VICTIM AGE COMMENT
Aberstein, Julia 30
Adler, Lizzie 24
Altman, Anna 16
Ardito, Anna 25
Astrowsky, Becky 20
Bassino, Rosie 31
Belatta, Vincenza 16
Belotta, Ignazia unknown- Father identified by heel of shoe.
Benanti, Vincenza 22
Bernstein, Essie 19
Bernstein, Jacob 28
Bernstein, Morris 19
Bernstein, Moses unknown
Bierman, Gussie 22 - Parents complained body stripped of rings.
Binevitz, Abraham 20
Brenman, Rosie unknown
Brenman, Sara unknown
Brodsky, Ida 16
Brodsky, Sarah 21
Brooks, Ida 18
Brunette, Laura 17
Caputta unknown
Carlisi, Josep 31
Caruso, Albina 20
Castello, Josie 21
Cirrito, Rose unknown
Cohen, Anna 25
Colletti, Antonia (Annie) 30
Costello, Della unknown
Crepo, Rose 19
Denent, Grances 20
Dichtenhultz (Fichtenhultz), Yetta 18
Dockman, Dora 19
Dorman, K unknown- Identified by registered letter.
Downic, Kalman 24
Eisenberg, Celia 17
Feibush, Rose unknown
Feibush, Rebecca unknown
Feltzer 40
Fitze, Mrs. Dosie Lopez 24- Survived jump for 1 day, then died.
Forrester, May 25
Franco, Jennie 16
Frank, Tina 17
Gallo, Mary 23
Geib, Bertha 25
Gernstein, Molly 17
Gittlin, Celina 17
Goldfield, Esther unknown
Goldstein, Esther unknown
Goldstein, Lena 22
Goldstein, Mary 11
Goldstein, Yetta 20
Gorfield, Esther 22
Grameattassio, Irene 24
Harris, Esther 21- Broke back coming down elevator chute.
Herman, Mary 40
Jakobowski, Ida unknown
Kaplan (woman) 20
Kenowitch, Ida 18
Keober 30
Kessler, Becky unknown - Tag read, “B Kessler, call for her tomorrow.”
Klein, Jacob 23
Kupla, Sara 24- Jumped. Survived for five days after fire.
Launswold, Fannie 24
Lefkkowitz, Nettie 28
Lehrer, Max 19
Lehrer, Sam unknown
Leone, Kate 14
Lermack, Rosie D. 19
Leventhal, Mary 22- Identified by gold-capped tooth.
Levin, Jennie 19 - Attractive woman who died with folded arms.
Levine, Abe unknown
Levine, Max unknown
Levine, Pauline 19
Maltese, Catherine unknown- Mother of two victims below.
Maltese, Lucia 20 - One of three bodies identified by her brother.
Maltese, Rosalia 14
Manara, Maria 27
Manofsky, Rose 22- Died at Bellevue Hospital
Marciano, Mrs. Michela 25
Mayer, Minnie unknown
Meyers, Yetta 19
Miale, Bettina 18- Identified by ring on her finger.
Midolo, Gaetana 16
Nebrerer, Becky 19
Nicholas, Annie 18
Nicolose, Nicolina (Michelina) unknown
Novobritsky, Annie 20
Nussbaum, Sadie 18 - Lower half of body consumed by flame.
Oberstein, Julia 19
Oringer, Rose unknown - Died at St. Vincent ’s Hospital.
Ozzo, Carrie 22
Pack, Annie 18
Panno, Providenza 48
Pasqualicca, Antonietta 16
Pildescu, Jennie 18
Pinello, Vincenza 30
Poliny, Jennie 20
Reivers, Becky 19
Rootstein, Emma unknown
Robinowitz, Abraham unknown
Rosen, Julia (widow) 35 - $842 found in her stocking.
Rosen, Mrs Leob 38
Rosenbaum, Yetta 22
Rosenberg, Jennie 21
Rosenfeld, Gussie 22- Last body to be identified.
Rosenthal, Nettie 21
Rother, R 25
Rother, Theodore 22
Sabasowitz, Sarah 17
Salemi, Sophie 24- Identified by a darn in her stocking.
Saracino, Sara unknown
Saracino, Serafina 25
Saracino, Tessie 20
Schiffman, Gussie 18
Schmidt, Mrs. Theresa 32
Schneider, Mrs. Ethel unknown
Schochep, Violet 21
Schwartz, Margaret unknown- Named victim in criminal case.
Selzer, Jacob 33
Semmilio, Mrs. Annie 30
Shapiro, Rosie 17
Shena, Catherine 30
Sklaver, Berel 25
Sorkin, Rosie 18
Spear unknown
Sprunt unknown
Spunt, Gussie 19
Starr, Mrs. Annie 30
Stein, Jennie 18
Stellino, Jennie 16
Stiglitz, Jennie 22
Tabick, Samuel 18
Terdanova (Terranova), Clotilde 22 - Only victim to die on tenth floor, jumped.
Tortorella, Isabella 17
Ullo, Mary 20
Utal, Meyer 23
Velakowsky, Freda (Freida) 20- Survived jump for 3 days, then died.
Vivlania, Bessie 15
Vovobritsky, Annie 20
Weinduff, Sally 17
Weiner, Rose 23
Weintraub, Sally (Sarah?) 17
Weintraub, Celia unknown
Welfowitz, Dora 21
Wilson, Joseph 21 - Found by fiance; to have been wed in June.
Wisner, Tessie 27
Wisotsky, Sonia 17
Wondross, Bertha unknown- Died of internal injuries at St. Vincent ’s.
Zeltner 30
AND, they were better…
Joan Reale
First Cousin (twice removed) of Jennie Franco, Triangle Shirtwaist Fire victim, age 16, to whom I dedicate this writing. I will remember you…
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