It's a strange thing to "celebrate." Perhaps celebrate is the wrong word. "Remember" is probably more appropriate. 100 years ago today 146 people, mostly immigrant women, died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. This was before unions. This was before collective bargaining. This was before worker's rights.
But out of this terrible disaster, some good came of it. Unions rallied round even more. New York State became the most progressive state in the country in regards to labor reform.
And today, the politicking continues. Democrats giving speeches down on the corner of Washington and Greene, claiming that the Republicans are trying to take away those rights. But in reality, it's the partinsanship that is occurring in Local, State and Federal governments that is our present day fire hazard waiting to happen. And the citizens? We'll be the workers stuck in the building with no way to get out.
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