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On the anniversary of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire 100 years ago in New York, Lawrence O’Donnell speaks with Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO about the impact of the infamous fire on labor and unions – both then and today
One hundred fifty young seamstresses perished the day of the fire. Workers were seriously underpaid, undervalued, and worked in hazardous conditions.There was a movement afoot to unionize, which was promptly squelched. On the day of the fire, exits were blocked, forcing many to leap to their deaths: a sight which is said to have changed the minds of some anti-union politicians and community leaders to improve working conditions, allow unions, and institute child labor laws.
It’s unthinkable that we are fighting for the right to unionize and for collective bargaining again. Republicans have even mentioned overturning federal child labor laws, do we really want to go back 100 years in time? Apparently some do, in their assault on the working class, they would slash wages, eliminate public schools, and under-equip fire fighters and nurses.
Scott Walkers pals like the former Indiana Deputy Prosecutor Carlos Lam stooped so low as to offer him a bit of advice via email:
Lam told Walker he had a "good opportunity" to win public sympathy with a "false flag" operation."
"If you could employ an associate who pretends to be sympathetic to the unions’ cause to physically attack you (or even use a firearm against you), you could discredit the unions," read the email. It went on to say that the effort "would assist in undercutting any support that the media may be creating in favor of the unions."
This is an example of the kind of ‘public servants’ who are leading the assault on the middle class. May all of their elected positions soon go the way of their veracity.