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While
we are on the subject of evil... HISTORICAL
EVIL:
"The Triangle Fire," by Leon Stein with a new introduction
by William Greider. (Cornell University Press, 2001.)
EVIL
IN THE RAG TRADE:
"NO SWEAT: Fashion, Free Trade, and the Rights of Garment
Workers," edited by Andrew Ross. (Verso Press 1997.)
BORDERLINE
EVIL:
"Border Witness," by Maureen Casey and Brian Casey. (The New
York State Labor-Religion Coalition, 2002).
COSMIC
EVIL:
"Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy,"
by Susan Neiman. (Princeton U. Press, 2002.)
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> NO SWEAT NEWS >
NEWS ARCHIVE
MAY CHEN: UNITE
May
Chen is Vice President of UNITE* (Union of Needletrades,
Industrial and Textile Employees). the descendant of the old ILGWU,
the union that represented many of our forebears. She talked to
Harvey
Blume about the impact of the attack on the World Trade Center on
Chinatown, a nearby neighborhood of Chinatown and the center of
New
York City's garment industry.
HB: The impact of 9/11 on Chinatown's garment industry was
close to traumatic. Does the situation remain as bleak? Are there
signs of recovery?
MC: The impact of 9/11 on Chinatown's garment industry can
only be described as devastating. It was, as you say, truly traumatic.
Workers in many factories saw the attacks as they occurred, then
evacuated their factories and went home, mostly on foot. Some had
to walk over bridges to their homes because public transportation
was shut down. Then, there were the street closures that blocked
traffic, and prevented business from getting back to normal. Add
9/11 to the recession, and you can see why work orders evaporated.
The 2001 holiday season was a bleak one for Chinatown.
Things in 2002 look a little better. Decent retail sales have created
some apparel orders to re-stock inventory. A firm like Bienestar,
which is committed to union work, could be very helpful in getting
more work orders into Chinatown's unionized factories, and promoting
the sales of union apparel made New York City.
HB: What has the role of government been in helping Chinatown
get back on its feet?
MC: It's been mixed. Many government programs, such as The
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration,
were not well-equipped to assist this urban, immigrant community.
They had experience with tornadoes, floods and hurricanes -- not
anything like 9/11. And the early images of victims that grabbed
the public's eye were of stock brokers and financial employees --
not of Chinatown's immigrant janitors, food service and garment
workers.
Chinatown is only a dozen blocks or so from the World Trade Center
in downtown Manhattan, but it is a politically forgotten neighborhood.
In fact, the geographical line drawn for awarding relief aid overlooked
that this is a community by cutting Chinatown right in half! Nevertheless,
the vocal advocacy, of various community and other groups -- including
the union -- have managed to draw some attention to the needs of
Chinatown.
HB: Am I correct in concluding that the Small Business Administration
has refused to extend loans to the degree that would be necessary?
Is Chinatown, in particular, being slighted in this regard?
MC: A huge proportion of the SBA loan applicants were rejected,
but not just in Chinatown; it happened all over the city. Some of
these cases are still under review, but many of the strict requirements
-- especially for personal collateral to back up the loans -- made
owners of small businesses fearful. How could they be sure their
businesses would survive and continue in the downturn after 9/11?
Private relief groups, as well as city and state government have
stepped in with a more diverse range of programs. The Garment Industry
Development Corporation is a labor-management-government group that
has helped steer some of this aid to Chinatown garment industry.
A critical issue for us, though, is that government doubts the viability
of the domestic garment industry and hesitates to direct resources
toward it. Some academics are skeptical about the survival of the
garment industry, especially as we head towards the proposed "free
trade" situation of 2005 [when currently discussed provisions of
The World Trade Organization's Agreement on Textiles and Clothing
may be implemented]. Governments these days are always worried about
increasing deficits. They don't want to put their dollars into what
they've been advised is a dying industry.
We need continuing lobbying on this issue to assert confidence in
the survival of this industry in NYC, and to protect jobs and benefits
for immigrant workers. This is another key area where the work flow
and good public relations of Bienestar can be of assistance. We
believe the "high road" businesses will survive and grow.
Read more at UNITE
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