Senate Recognizes 100th Anniversary of Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

On March 17, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 106) recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in New York City on March 25, 1911.

The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), contains several findings, including:

• The Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire was the deadliest industrial disaster in the city of New York’s history and resulted in the fourth greatest loss of life from an industrial accident in the history of the United States, claiming the lives of 146 garment workers, many of whom were young immigrants;
• The fire helped spur the growth of the modern-day organized labor movement, particularly the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, which continued to fight for better conditions for sweatshop workers; and
• From the ashes of this horrific event emerged the modern celebration of International Women’s Day, and the death of 129 women workers in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire demonstrated the need for workers’ rights and women’s rights.

The resolution also designates the week of March 21-25, 2011, as the “100th Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Remembrance Week.”