A Brief Look at the History of Workers Rights
The infamous Triangle Factory fire of the early twentieth century is often symbolic of the workers rights movement that followed the tragedy. The fire killed over a hundred workers and ignited a conversation about procedures, regulations, and safe work environments. Our law firm understands the importance of defending workers rights. Many employees don’t know that there are laws in the books protecting them from negligent or unfair practices. We are here to uphold those laws and ensure America’s labor force is duly protected.
The Spark That Lit The Movement
The Triangle Sweatshirt Factory was located in the heart of industrial New York City and employed mostly immigrant teenage girls working 12 hour shifts. The building was eight floors and had a very narrow fire escape and only one functioning elevator. This fire ignited in a rag bin. Attempts to quell it were unsuccessful due to rotted hoses and inadequate equipment. Many of the girls were trapped inside where they were burned alive or met their deaths on the sidewalk after jumping to escape the burning flames. In the end the tragedy killed 145 workers and was a cause for outrage in the labor movement.
Of course the history of America’s labor movement goes back further than that and includes the formation of Unions and labor strikes going back to the 1800’s. As the industrial revolution took hold of the nation’s economy more of these problems became clearer and through time laws were put in place to protect employees.
A Safe Work Environment
A big part of workers rights laws means that as an employee you have a right to a safe work environment. If you are working in a factory, employers must provide adequate fire hazards, safety precautions like fire extinguishers and exits. An employer should also inform you of possible health risks involved with the job, as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
A Fair Work Environment
After the Triangle Factory fire discussions about fair working hours also came into play. Many of these factory workers at the time were working without breaks for twelve hours every single day. Many of these workers were underage. Since then, of course, laws have been implemented to protect workers from being overworked without fair compensation.
A big component of workers rights also includes discrimination protections. The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) is the federal organization that oversees and is responsible for enforcing federal discrimination laws. These laws protect you as the worker from being unfairly discriminated against based on certain criteria like your gender, religion, national origin, or skin color. There are also laws in the books to protect employees from sexual harassment and other types of unwanted behavior in the workplace.
Fight for Your Rights
Many of the laws and regulations of course are far more complicated. Employers can sometimes overlook or neglect some of these rights, which result in workers treated unfairly or injured through negligence. That’s where the expertise of the Law Office of Perry Pinon comes in. We are trained to understand the complexities of the laws.