The Triangle factory fire, in which 146 workers (mostly young immigrant women) perished, marked a turning point for organized labor and worker wellbeing.
Thanks, Jill. And I appreciate your sharing about your great-grandma and her sisters. I wonder what they were doing around that time. The year before the fire, shirtwaist factory workers had just "won" a big strike, when owners agreed to workers' demands to reduce the weekly work schedule to *only* 52 hours. I'm not keen on glorifying past generations, but, dang, those young immigrants were tough. Just thinking about your great grandma (and 3 of my grandparents) leaving their homes and setting sail for America blows my mind. Of course, I'm reminded of a famous quote by an Italian immigrant: "I came to New York because I heard the streets were paved with gold. When I got here, I learned three things: The streets are not paved with gold. They are not paved at all. I am expected to pave them.”
Tough as nails, they were. It’s a great question; I don’t know what they were doing then and I should know. The point about worker welfare being justifiable only as a bottom-line consideration is also perfect. It’s the same rationale for D&I initiatives that I hear getting chucked around: “more diverse perspectives are good for business!! That’s why we do it!” Otherwise, who cares. 🙄 Thank you for throwing some light into these dark corners I’ve never seen or thought about. 🙏
Bob, so glad you stick with this tragedy in honor of Labor Day - should be required reading in various academic and cultural settings.
As for the cartoons - hmm, my eyes always go there - quick, usually a point made in a humorous way. Just not sure they follow "naturally" some of the topics you cover. Just keep whatever works for you coming. So glad you started Heigh Ho as are many other of your subscribers.
Thanks, as always, Barbara, for you kind words and support.
Also, I am super-appreciative of your feedback regarding the Work Chronicles comic. You're right, the comics don't naturally follow the topics I cover. Heigh Ho is so much a workin-progress, trial-and-error thing.... Its content and audience have already changed a lot from what they were just a couple of months ago. You've helped me decide.
Very nice. I believe I did learn about this at some point in a public administration program. Kind of a shame that it takes these types of tragedies for any policy to get made or to change. I'd argue- maybe even worse in the present day!
Thanks, MITER. Worse today... changing policy? You may be right. In the US today, we certainly have a lot of paralysis due to polarization. And some of the protections workers earned — for example around child labor and working in harsh environments (like excessive heat) — seem to be going backwards. On the other hand, a lot of those protections earned in the first half of the 20th century came about only as a result of tremendous sacrifice and suffering.
I guess I'm not sure if it's worse in the present day. You've given me something to think about.
No prob! I completely agree that the sacrifices have established better working conditions for all and that we aren't really heading backwards. I guess when I say "worse" It's more about the level of tragedy needed to create any policy action or political will. I may be thinking more about gun control, healthcare, climate change in the US - but all these issue have their own political dynamics. Healthcare is most relevant to the workplace due to backwards policies that, IMO, hurt workers and organizations. AND have literal tragic effects for people unable to obtain care or going into debt for life. Thanks for the great thinking and sorry for the rant!
Haunting, and hard to read. Thanks for sharing this Bob. My great-grandma was about their age. She would have just arrived off the boat from Belarus with her two sisters.
Thanks, Jill. And I appreciate your sharing about your great-grandma and her sisters. I wonder what they were doing around that time. The year before the fire, shirtwaist factory workers had just "won" a big strike, when owners agreed to workers' demands to reduce the weekly work schedule to *only* 52 hours. I'm not keen on glorifying past generations, but, dang, those young immigrants were tough. Just thinking about your great grandma (and 3 of my grandparents) leaving their homes and setting sail for America blows my mind. Of course, I'm reminded of a famous quote by an Italian immigrant: "I came to New York because I heard the streets were paved with gold. When I got here, I learned three things: The streets are not paved with gold. They are not paved at all. I am expected to pave them.”
Tough as nails, they were. It’s a great question; I don’t know what they were doing then and I should know. The point about worker welfare being justifiable only as a bottom-line consideration is also perfect. It’s the same rationale for D&I initiatives that I hear getting chucked around: “more diverse perspectives are good for business!! That’s why we do it!” Otherwise, who cares. 🙄 Thank you for throwing some light into these dark corners I’ve never seen or thought about. 🙏
Still as powerful today as the first time I read this. Thanks for the reminder that we still have a road to travel, Bob.
Thank you, Colin!
Bob, so glad you stick with this tragedy in honor of Labor Day - should be required reading in various academic and cultural settings.
As for the cartoons - hmm, my eyes always go there - quick, usually a point made in a humorous way. Just not sure they follow "naturally" some of the topics you cover. Just keep whatever works for you coming. So glad you started Heigh Ho as are many other of your subscribers.
Thanks, as always, Barbara, for you kind words and support.
Also, I am super-appreciative of your feedback regarding the Work Chronicles comic. You're right, the comics don't naturally follow the topics I cover. Heigh Ho is so much a workin-progress, trial-and-error thing.... Its content and audience have already changed a lot from what they were just a couple of months ago. You've helped me decide.
Very nice. I believe I did learn about this at some point in a public administration program. Kind of a shame that it takes these types of tragedies for any policy to get made or to change. I'd argue- maybe even worse in the present day!
Thanks, MITER. Worse today... changing policy? You may be right. In the US today, we certainly have a lot of paralysis due to polarization. And some of the protections workers earned — for example around child labor and working in harsh environments (like excessive heat) — seem to be going backwards. On the other hand, a lot of those protections earned in the first half of the 20th century came about only as a result of tremendous sacrifice and suffering.
I guess I'm not sure if it's worse in the present day. You've given me something to think about.
No prob! I completely agree that the sacrifices have established better working conditions for all and that we aren't really heading backwards. I guess when I say "worse" It's more about the level of tragedy needed to create any policy action or political will. I may be thinking more about gun control, healthcare, climate change in the US - but all these issue have their own political dynamics. Healthcare is most relevant to the workplace due to backwards policies that, IMO, hurt workers and organizations. AND have literal tragic effects for people unable to obtain care or going into debt for life. Thanks for the great thinking and sorry for the rant!
Agreed on all counts. And no need to apologize for rant (which actually didn't seem like a rant, at all). A̶l̶l̶ Many rants are welcome here. :)
Haunting, and hard to read. Thanks for sharing this Bob. My great-grandma was about their age. She would have just arrived off the boat from Belarus with her two sisters.