Speech #880269459

Born out of the degradation of the sweatshop. nurtured in its struggling years by the zeal of its leaders and raised to proud maturity by the contributions of thousands of dedicated workers. the Amalgamated stands today as both a monument to those accomplishments of the past and as a beacon of hope and promise for future generations of working men and women. Like that mthical bird. the phoenix. which rose to dew and greater heights from its own burntout ashes. the Amalgamated rose to its present preeminence in the labor movement from the bitter and tragic ashes of the unfulfilled dreams of those early garment industry workers more than a helf a century ago. The immigrants dream of an America with streets paved with gold quickly died when confronted with the grim realities of the sweatshop. Another dream to correct these sordid abuses through the organization of a responsible trade union also died amidst anguished workers cry of "sellout" and "betrayal." But out of the ashes of these dreams arose a more fervent dedication which shaped a new dream. And this dream became reality in 1914 with the founding of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.