News & Events 2004-2005
Garrick Farria Speaks About the Case for Unions
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| Garrick Farria (left) speaks with faculty member Marty Miller and students after his lecture. |
Garrick Farria ’92, Midwest Political Coordinator for the union, UNITE HERE (a combination of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and the ACTWU), spoke about “The Case for Unions” as part of the Society of Skeptics lecture series on September 21, 2004, in Cowan Auditorium.
Mr. Farria discussed the cause of relatively low paid workers in such occupations as industrial laundry, hotel, food service, light manufacturing, retail distribution, airport, gaming, restaurant and various public sector jobs.
Historically, the ILGWU suffered through the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in New York (1911) leading to far-reaching reforms of factory work. In recent times, the movie Norma Rae was based on their organizing campaign against JP Stevens. UNITE also won the historic Frontier Casino strike, which dramatically changed the lives of Las Vegas casino workers. Mr. Farria urged students to vote and to at least consider the case for supporting the union movement, even though most Blair students will be pursuing careers in far different areas from those mentioned above.
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