Whistleblowers and Prejudice

This article is particularly captivating due to identical events in the past. Marshal Greenberg operates an elevator, which transports workers and supplies on the exterior of Deutsche Bank in Manhattan. During his work shifts, he witnessed unsafe and hazardous working conditions in its prime. He documented his surroundings and reported dangerous activities committed by fellow employees. His evidence showed smoking in the building, drinking on the job, drug usage, and stealing. Greenberg was threatened by fellow union workers and faced discrimination due to his husky size and tattooed skin. No efforts went to identifying and fixing the conditions by the employers. In 2007, a fire broke out killing two. Ironically, the fire started by careless, unsafe, smoking. Because of this event, Greenberg is faced with more discrimination and has become an outcast. However, the treatment Greenberg received was “pretty common.” Many officials just wanted to see the job done and safety was not an issue.
The resemblance is mounting when related to the past. Labor Unions fully took off in the 1890s when Americans were allowed to have a say in their working conditions. Strikes broke out constantly and demands were rarely met. However, it was major events that made changes occur. On March 25, 1911 a massive fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. The factory was a sweatshop with many immigrant employees. Due to unsafe working conditions, a fire broke out on the eighth floor. Many of the women were able to evacuate, although some were not. There were only two exits on the ninth floor. The main door was locked to keep the workers in and the other was out the window, which was engulfed in flames. A massacre quickly broke out with women burning to death or jumping out the window to fall nine floors to their death. 148 women died that day due to unsafe conditions. The horrific tragedy is what it took to make things change. Stronger unions came out of this event, which helped with safety in the New Deal Programs.
Marshal Greenberg’s experiences were very similar to the Triangle Factory. He was faced with unsuitable working conditions along with the women laborers in 1911. Greenberg spoke up to the owners and demanded safer conditions. However, the owners did not care enough to make things happen. At the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the labor union was small and unnoticed. If needed, employers were able to replace anyone who gave them grief in an instant. In both cases, the employees had to wait till their life was in jeopardy, with evidence, before something was done to resolve the issues.
Another striking similarity is the discrimination Marshal Greenberg faced. He was looked down and abused because of his size and skin appearance. Women, African Americans, Germans, Irish, Polish, etc. were all faced with same brutality in the 1900s. Women could barely find jobs and immigrants had difficulty holding a decent paying job. Because they were not the same in shape, color, or accent, they did not have the right to belong. Many lost their jobs for standing up for what is right. This is what exactly what Marshal Greenberg has done. He stood up for his rights and was shunned.
Almost 100 years later we are still facing the same obstacles we once thought were tackled. The issues many employees face today are equivalent to the problems faced long ago. Will discrimination ever cease? Will mass-producing, powerful employers listen to their workers? Will labor unions begin to strongly intervene? Will America ever be able to overcome this hindrance?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/nyregion/01operator.html?_r=1&hpw