Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1542297
8 SPRING 2026 labor were in attendance, as well as local and state politicians. Rose Schneiderman of the WTUL gave a passionate speech calling for action. Clara Lemlich, a prominent member of the ILGWU and a voice of the 1909 General Strike against shirtwaist manufacturers, was in attendance, as well as Frances Perkins, a member of the National Consumers' League. Perkins was a pro-union activist and social reformer who would later become the first female presidential Cabinet member and United States Secretary of Labor under President Franklin Roosevelt. Labor unions joined to form a relief effort in support of survivors of the fire. They "...something must be done. We've got to turn this into some kind of victory." –Frances Perkins The First Madam Secretary Frances Perkins was the first female Presidential Cabinet member and the first female Secretary of Labor, holding that position for the longest term to date. She played an integral part in President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Prior to her Cabinet post, Perkins worked with the National Consumers' League researching working conditions in factories and living conditions of less-fortunate workers, while also learning labor organization. Perkins spent her life fighting for the rights of the exploited and underrepresented. The tragedy at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911 accelerated Perkins' political career. Perkins recalled that the events were "…seared on my mind, as well as my heart—a never-to-be-forgotten reminder of why I had to spend my life fighting conditions that could permit such a tragedy." Believing in the power of legislation, Perkins encouraged the state legislature to form the New York State Factory Investigating Commission, to which she was summarily appointed. In 1933, President Roosevelt appointed Perkins to Secretary of Labor. Perkins chaired the Committee on Economic Security, which was responsible for the Social Security Act of 1935. She oversaw the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, ensuring a minimum wage and a maximum workweek, and the Wagner Act guaranteeing the rights of labor unions to organize and bargain collectively. would provide financial support and aid in housing, employment, and care while the injured healed. Safety and inspection commissions were called for and established. The Committee on Safety was born; Perkins being appointed General Secretary. The Committee on Safety campaigned for a commission to be appointed by the New York State Legislature to investigate factories. In June of 1911, the Factory Investigating Commission was signed into law. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire showed holes in safety measures and legislation with regard to the many factories operating in New York City. It brought to light corruption and lack of enforcement in safety and working conditions. They discovered that the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was not an outlier. Many factories were devoid of proper fire escapes, enough doors for egress, or any other pathway for escape. The stairways would be too narrow or have unstable stairs if they even existed at all. Inspection frequency was increased and infractions enforced. When politicians expressed doubt about the reports, they would be taken on early-morning surprise inspections to open their eyes. The Factory Investigating Commission can be credited with reforming fire regulations and improving working