Today’s letter gives me such pause on a personal, familiar yet arm’s length level. My grandmother and all of her sisters were expected to leave school at pre-teen age to go to work in the factories as seamstresses (NY Metro area) at least until they could maneuver into a coveted job at the phone co. as an operator. Her sister lost her hu…
Today’s letter gives me such pause on a personal, familiar yet arm’s length level. My grandmother and all of her sisters were expected to leave school at pre-teen age to go to work in the factories as seamstresses (NY Metro area) at least until they could maneuver into a coveted job at the phone co. as an operator. Her sister lost her husband when her daughter was 2 years old (circa 1935) and worked to support them in the pajama/lingerie factory. Every Xmas Eve we spent together and were gifted w/new PJs or nightgown. I started noticing a distinctive label “ILGWU”— it looked kind of funny to a kid so I asked my great aunt about it—I was around the same age she would’ve had to stop school to work. She explained it was her “union”—the “International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union” and I sensed her passion and dedication to whatever that meant as well as I could comprehend it. Each year I would open the gift and say, “Oh, does it have your label?” and the convo would start again. Remem being mesmerized that these PJs came from the place where she made these things. So, finally I chose it as topic of a “book report” in grade school noting how lucky I was to get to just write about it at the same age she had to quit school to work in the factory and it was far from something to glamorize. These girls—and I mean girls not yet women—really lived/struggled this era of Dr. Heather’s letter today. My grandmother parlayed her skill into her own biz; my Mom worked in it sewing her way thru college to become a teacher—I suppose it was that or a nurse or secretary in the 40s/early 50s although a couple of her friends became CPAs in that era. I was fortunate enough to earn one of those “yuppie” MBAs two generations later. Today’s post brought this context all back with familiarity b/c as a child spent so much time with these women —only wish I could’ve comprehended more fully back then what I can see more clearly through today’s lens as an adult. And now, unbelievably, the struggle continues to hold onto what was so hard won > 80 years ago. Happy Labor Day~
Thank you so much Lauren for your memories! I am from the same general area (metro NY) and very similar situations, and I myself worked and lived in the Garment District for a number of years, although not as a maker (I worked for one of the big textile manufacturers as an office worker). The ILGWU, at the start of my life in the GD, was still a powerful presence, with the international headquarters/union hall a place of importance in the lives and environment of the district. Its life--and the world it made--was ending, however, because of Reagan's union busting and meshuga economic policies, which made it possible for companies such as the one I worked for to off-shore their textile manufactures (leaving much of the Carolinas in a shambles) and to destroy the ILGWU. "Look for the Union Label" (when you are buying a coat, dress, or gloves) is a jingle I still hear in my mind's ear because it really meant something in my youth. Alas, those labels no longer exist.
My longterm memory kicked in: coat, dress, or BLOUSE (not gloves). The ILGWU was also instrumental in the founding of the Fashion Institute of Technology (which was right across the street from the union headquarters in my day). So many people benefited from the activism of that union.
Thanks Linda for sharing your imprint w/in that industry —it seems at least some offshoring to countries where people are actually “laborers of the state” so like we’ve outsourced the struggle. Love the memory jog re that jingle! I remember a tv or radio ad like a chorus of women’s’ voices
Such a rich story. So full. Thank you, Lauren, for sharing it through your lens of today. Great iconic women in your family. We can give those shapes to children today.
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your family's experiences. You've reminded me of a neighbor from my childhood, Jenny Charters, who worked for the ILGWU in San Francisco, not that any of us kids understood what it meant at the time. I wish she was still around so we could say thank you.
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your own related history in such intimate detail. Very touching and thought-provoking; just beautiful. I am thinking of Labor Day very differently now, thanks to you.
Hi Lauren, Your post awakened a host of memories about my grandmother who was an immigrant to the USA (NYC) in the early 1900's. Her husband died after the stock market crash and she returned to being a milliner, a hatmaker, working in a factory. I remember her showing us the ILGWU labels in clothing. She survived and managed to raise her family because of having a job with protections. She was a bitter, old woman when I knew her, but your comments shed light on what made her existence (and thus my father's) possible. They were not easy times, but at least there was the possibility for improvement. We need that vision for the possibility of a better life for our younger population today. Interesting conversation, as always!
It’s kind of good for the soul to tie the present to these shared histories and History—who knew that little label would represent so much—I hope it’s in the Smithsonian!
Thanks, indeed, Lauren, for sharing this personal, poignant history. These women in your family no doubt enriched you and beyond, more indelible than the ILGWU labels!
Love your story, the meaning of the union label, your writing about it for school, and how all that lifted you and your family members to a better future.
After he graduated from college, my father, who later became an academic, spent two years working in a textile firm in NYC that he tried to organize. There was too much turnover, alas.
Your story gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of my father's efforts to unionize the NYC textile firm where he worked after graduating college and before getting drafted. He never said much about it, and I never asked. So again, thank you.
Today’s letter gives me such pause on a personal, familiar yet arm’s length level. My grandmother and all of her sisters were expected to leave school at pre-teen age to go to work in the factories as seamstresses (NY Metro area) at least until they could maneuver into a coveted job at the phone co. as an operator. Her sister lost her husband when her daughter was 2 years old (circa 1935) and worked to support them in the pajama/lingerie factory. Every Xmas Eve we spent together and were gifted w/new PJs or nightgown. I started noticing a distinctive label “ILGWU”— it looked kind of funny to a kid so I asked my great aunt about it—I was around the same age she would’ve had to stop school to work. She explained it was her “union”—the “International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union” and I sensed her passion and dedication to whatever that meant as well as I could comprehend it. Each year I would open the gift and say, “Oh, does it have your label?” and the convo would start again. Remem being mesmerized that these PJs came from the place where she made these things. So, finally I chose it as topic of a “book report” in grade school noting how lucky I was to get to just write about it at the same age she had to quit school to work in the factory and it was far from something to glamorize. These girls—and I mean girls not yet women—really lived/struggled this era of Dr. Heather’s letter today. My grandmother parlayed her skill into her own biz; my Mom worked in it sewing her way thru college to become a teacher—I suppose it was that or a nurse or secretary in the 40s/early 50s although a couple of her friends became CPAs in that era. I was fortunate enough to earn one of those “yuppie” MBAs two generations later. Today’s post brought this context all back with familiarity b/c as a child spent so much time with these women —only wish I could’ve comprehended more fully back then what I can see more clearly through today’s lens as an adult. And now, unbelievably, the struggle continues to hold onto what was so hard won > 80 years ago. Happy Labor Day~
Thank you so much Lauren for your memories! I am from the same general area (metro NY) and very similar situations, and I myself worked and lived in the Garment District for a number of years, although not as a maker (I worked for one of the big textile manufacturers as an office worker). The ILGWU, at the start of my life in the GD, was still a powerful presence, with the international headquarters/union hall a place of importance in the lives and environment of the district. Its life--and the world it made--was ending, however, because of Reagan's union busting and meshuga economic policies, which made it possible for companies such as the one I worked for to off-shore their textile manufactures (leaving much of the Carolinas in a shambles) and to destroy the ILGWU. "Look for the Union Label" (when you are buying a coat, dress, or gloves) is a jingle I still hear in my mind's ear because it really meant something in my youth. Alas, those labels no longer exist.
And Unions have become the enemy of the wealthy who constantly outsource everything.
My longterm memory kicked in: coat, dress, or BLOUSE (not gloves). The ILGWU was also instrumental in the founding of the Fashion Institute of Technology (which was right across the street from the union headquarters in my day). So many people benefited from the activism of that union.
Never knew that re FIT! Thank you
Thanks Linda for sharing your imprint w/in that industry —it seems at least some offshoring to countries where people are actually “laborers of the state” so like we’ve outsourced the struggle. Love the memory jog re that jingle! I remember a tv or radio ad like a chorus of women’s’ voices
Thank you for your beautiful post—I learn as much from comments like yours as I do from Dr. Richardson’s missives.👏🏻❤️
Such a rich story. So full. Thank you, Lauren, for sharing it through your lens of today. Great iconic women in your family. We can give those shapes to children today.
Brava!
Thanks so much—these daily letters really generate such good will.
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your family's experiences. You've reminded me of a neighbor from my childhood, Jenny Charters, who worked for the ILGWU in San Francisco, not that any of us kids understood what it meant at the time. I wish she was still around so we could say thank you.
My feelings exactly!
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your own related history in such intimate detail. Very touching and thought-provoking; just beautiful. I am thinking of Labor Day very differently now, thanks to you.
What a beautiful personal account. Thank you.
I love this post. The struggle continues.
Hi Lauren, Your post awakened a host of memories about my grandmother who was an immigrant to the USA (NYC) in the early 1900's. Her husband died after the stock market crash and she returned to being a milliner, a hatmaker, working in a factory. I remember her showing us the ILGWU labels in clothing. She survived and managed to raise her family because of having a job with protections. She was a bitter, old woman when I knew her, but your comments shed light on what made her existence (and thus my father's) possible. They were not easy times, but at least there was the possibility for improvement. We need that vision for the possibility of a better life for our younger population today. Interesting conversation, as always!
It’s kind of good for the soul to tie the present to these shared histories and History—who knew that little label would represent so much—I hope it’s in the Smithsonian!
Thanks for another testament to the benefits of unions.
We dont inherit our democracy…two steps forward, one step back…its a fox trot!
Thanks, indeed, Lauren, for sharing this personal, poignant history. These women in your family no doubt enriched you and beyond, more indelible than the ILGWU labels!
Love your story, the meaning of the union label, your writing about it for school, and how all that lifted you and your family members to a better future.
After he graduated from college, my father, who later became an academic, spent two years working in a textile firm in NYC that he tried to organize. There was too much turnover, alas.
Your story gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of my father's efforts to unionize the NYC textile firm where he worked after graduating college and before getting drafted. He never said much about it, and I never asked. So again, thank you.