trianglememorial.org - Clara Lemlich Public Service Award Recipients

Clara Lemlich Public Service Award

In the early 1900’s, Clara Lemlich participated in efforts to improve wages and working conditions for her co-workers in the garment industry. Despite a number of severe beatings by goons hired by factory owners, Lemlich continued her organizing efforts. On November 22, 1909, after hours of speeches from labor representatives, mostly men, she mounted the stage at the Cooper Union and addressed the workers in Yiddish. Her words and spirit inspired 20,000 in the garment industry to go on strike, an action that lasted until February 10, 1910 and resulted in better wages and working conditions for members of the ILGWU. Ironically, and tragically, the owners of the Triangle Factory did not participate in the industry agreement.

RECIPIENTS

Class of 2012
Ronald Balter, Esq. Editor, NYS Workers’ Compensation Handbook Hon. Gale Brewer Member, New York City Council William Crossett, Esq. Vice President, Injured Workers’ Bar Association Dr. James Melius, M.D. Director, NYS Laborers International Union Pamela Vossenas Director, Workplace Safety and Health UNITE/HERE
Class of 2011
Denis M. Hughes President of the NYS AFL-CIO William Henning Chair of the NY Commmittee on Occupational Safety and Health [NYCOSH] Joel Shufro NYCOSH’s Executive Director Hon. Diane Savino NYS Senator from Brooklyn David Michaels US Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health
Class of 2010
M. Patricia Smith US Department of Labor Lillian Roberts Executive Director of NYC’s District Council 37 Veronica Montgomery-Costa President of DC 37 Richard D. Winsten, Esq. Partner at Meyer, Suozzi, English and Klein James M. McCarthy, Esq., President, TSFFM
Class of 2009
Hon. Hillary R. Clinton United States Secretary of State Barbara B. Levine, Esq. President, Injured Workers Bar Association Hon. Edward Pitts Administrative Law Judge, Social Security Administration Troy Rosasco, Esq. Co-Chair, NY Workers Compensation Alliance Randi Weingarten President, United Federation of Teachers
Class of 2008
Lee Clarke Health and Safety, DC 37 Dr. Robert Goldberg Director President, Medical Society of the State of New York Dr. Stephen Levin Director, I.J. Selifoff Center – Mt. Sinai John Sciortino, Esq. Co-Chair, Workers’ Compensation Alliance Art Wilcox NYS AFL-CIO