Speech #960278137

They want her to stop it. There is a law on the books. passed in 1938. that says people who make knitted outerwear must work in factories. The logic of that legislation was that workers in factories could have their environment regulated and their pay and working conditions "protected." There was some need for this type of enforcement when during postDepression years New York garment firms would pay large numbers of illegal immigrants a pittance to sew their fingers to the bone in crowded tenements. day after day. month after month. But only the current Department of Labor. under the direction of the current administration. would interpret such a law to mean that Mrs. Duffany and hundreds of other women like her need protection from the working condition they enjoy and treasure so dearly: a job at home. "Its our experience." says Herbert Cohen of the departments wage and hour division. "that it doesnt work to let the workers decide if they need protecting." So Mrs.