Today we saw "Clara Lemlich: A Strike Leader's Diary" in class about a courageous woman who helped lead a strike for better working conditions in the garment sweatshops in NYC. The film was told from the point of view of her daughter and grandchildren. She rallied the workers to strike and stayed active in labor and political causes her entire life.
Notice that some of the signs are in Yiddish
Women's roles are often invisible...
Looking around, I saw an industry spokesman said during the 1909 strike
“We will move our plants to Philadelphia. It is just as good a site and we can work there just as well.”
- manufacturer quoted in press
Does this sound familiar? Wasn't that the tactic used by Boeing to intimidate the machinists union to accept their offer with tons of takeaways and elimination of pensions for future works. Just a few weeks ago? The union members had rejected the offer once. Boeing (that Chicago based company) made all kinds of noise about moving the manufacturing for new planes somewhere else. And they had tons of states more than happy to have them. All kinds of incentives and giveaways. Under pressure, the union voted again, this time narrowly approving.
This at a time where the company is highly profitable, paying handsome dividends to shareholders with all kinds of high paid executives.
And they want to squeeze the workers....
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