40 Hour Fast & Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

One hundred years ago this Friday (3/25), the fire that killed 146 workers at New York’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sparked one of the most spirited organizing drives in the nation’s history – producing a wave of unionization and new state labor laws that laid the foundation for many of the New Deal’s signature achievements.

This year, the New York State Labor Religion Coalition's 16th annual 40 hour fast will be commemorating the victims of the fire. From Wednesday, March 23rd at Midnight to Friday, March 25th at 4PM, the Labor-Religion Coalition's 40 hour fast asks you to take a moment to reflect, pray, and act for worker health and safety, and for ending sweatshops.

At a time when unions are under attack, it's important to remember why they are so valuable. Let's not go back 100 years.

We'd like to share the Labor Religion Coalition's prayer for the 40 hour fast. And don't forget to join CEJ and the WNY Area Labor Federation on Wednesday, March 29th at 4:00 at Lafayette Square to tell our elected officials "Not in NY State".

Statewide Prayer for the 40 Hour FAST, March 23-25, 2011 on the 100th Anniversary of the Triangle factory fire:

Refrain: IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR CREATOR GOD, LET US HUNGER:

For a 40-hour week of humane work that pays living wages to garment makers in Bangladesh, iphone workers in China, Indonesian television assemblers and farmworkers in New York state;

For New York State to set the highest standard for purchase of sweatshop-free garments and uniforms as it participates in the Sweatfree Purchasing Consortium;

For thousands of new conscientious consumers who buy only Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate;

For more businesses like Alta Gracia in the Dominican Republic, where the owner has chosen blessing over curse for his workers, paying three times the DR’s poverty-minimum wage;

For a movement of women and men that follows the call of the prophet to “act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God;”

For the spirit of Clara Lemlich and Rose Schneiderman, leaders of the 1909-1910 “Uprising of the 20,000,” to bless courageous women like Kalpona Akter, a former garment worker who is now Director of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity;

For the Hershey Company to “Raise the Bar” by ending its use of child labor and slave labor in the production of its chocolate, as others companies have already done;

For renewed commitment to the seventh commandment so that the country’s wage theft crisis gives way to sufficient bread and affirming roses for all;

For collective bargaining rights and freedom of association for all workers;

For a triangle of faith, hope and love to rise up from the ashes of the Triangle fire.

AMEN.