Why the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire is Important Today

It may not seem that the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, which happened over a century ago in New York City, would be relevant today—but it is. It was a tragedy that opened the nation's eyes to poor working conditions in garment factories and other workplaces, and set in motion a historic era of labor reforms. Unfortunately, we haven't built enough on these gains. Today, too many employers are failing to obey the labor and workplace safety laws that were enacted in the years following the tragedy.