On Monday, a somber anniversary for New York’s workers will be marked. It’s one that Gov. Kathy Hochul should deeply reflect on, and honor. And she can do so by putting her signature on a piece of legislation, the Grieving Families Act, that would confer legal value on the lives of New Yorkers who remain unequal to their wealthier counterparts in the eyes of the law.
On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out in a garment industry sweatshop in Greenwich Village. The flames tore through the upper floors, trapping the workers—mostly young immigrant women—who toiled in cramped and dangerous conditions. In just 30 minutes, 146 workers were killed; 58 of them died after leaping from the windows to escape the flames.
