Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

Yesterday was the 110th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in Manhattan. 123 women and girls, and 23 men, died in less than 20 minutes. Most were recent Jewish and Italian immigrants aged 14 to 25. The bosses routinely locked the doors to prevent workers from taking unauthorized breaks. Consequently, many died leaping from windows on the 8th-10th floors.

The fire helped spur the growth of the ILGWU and led to some new safety legislation. However, thousands of workers continue to die each year in the workplace. 5,333 workers died on the job in 2019, according to OSHA. And in the past year, hundreds of teachers and school staff have died from Covid-19.