March 25th, 1911—the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Mar. 24th, 2014 11:11 pm
franklanguage: (trucknbus)
Steps with chalked epitaph

"March 25, 1911 • We Remember • A 17-Year-Old Girl Named Sonia Wissotsky Lived Here


"She Died 3/25/11 In The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire"


This sign was part of the CHALK project, an annual remembrance of the fire. This year marks the 10th year of CHALK. There are several sites that showcase CHALK, including this one that highlights the centennial in 2011. That year there was a procession down to City Hall, attended by most of the city's unions, including 802, the Musicians Local.



The fire was a totally preventable tragedy; the women were made to work overtime that day, and the doors were bolted to prevent any of them leaving the factory. As a result, many jumped out windows to their deaths on the cobbles below.

This tragedy resulted in many preventable deaths, and consequently legislation was passed to ensure that this would never happen again.
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"Union busting is disgusting!"

Nov. 9th, 2011 11:58 pm
franklanguage: (Default)
I'm kind of wiped out; this evening a few of us from Rude Mechanical Orchestra joined the demonstration at Sotheby's auction house protesting the abridging of the art handlers' contracts. (They are represented by the Teamsters Local union.) We got to yell ("Union busting is disgusting!") and play Bella Ciao and other labor-friendly songs. Local 802, the musicians' union was there, but didn't play. There were a lot of Hunter College students, who had marched from their campus at Lexington and 68th. I'm exhausted.



I was struck by the language that's grown up around the Occupy movement; I didn't get a lot of pictures because I was playing—and it was dark—but there were a lot of signs pointing to the elite art patrons as the "1%." I went to this because I thought it would be fun, and it was.



"All day, all week; occupy Sotheby's!" We booed and hissed the people entering the auction house as if they were scabs. (They were.)
  • Current Location: New York City
  • Current Music: Bella Ciao
Tags:

"Union busting is disgusting!"

Nov. 9th, 2011 11:58 pm
franklanguage: (Default)
I'm kind of wiped out; this evening a few of us from Rude Mechanical Orchestra joined the demonstration at Sotheby's auction house protesting the abridging of the art handlers' contracts. (They are represented by the Teamsters Local union.) We got to yell ("Union busting is disgusting!") and play Bella Ciao and other labor-friendly songs. Local 802, the musicians' union was there, but didn't play. There were a lot of Hunter College students, who had marched from their campus at Lexington and 68th. I'm exhausted.



I was struck by the language that's grown up around the Occupy movement; I didn't get a lot of pictures because I was playing—and it was dark—but there were a lot of signs pointing to the elite art patrons as the "1%." I went to this because I thought it would be fun, and it was.



"All day, all week; occupy Sotheby's!" We booed and hissed the people entering the auction house as if they were scabs. (They were.)
  • Current Location: New York City
  • Current Music: Bella Ciao
Tags:
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