The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Saturday, July 03, 2004  

WHAT UNION LABEL?
Seek and Ye Shall Not Find

I suspect a good portion of Rittenhousers are too young to remember the song “Look for the Union Label,” lyrics and music by Paula Green and Malcolm Dodds:

Look for the union label
when you are buying that coat, dress, or blouse.

Remember somewhere our union’s sewing,
our wages going to feed the kids and run the house.

We work hard, but who’s complaining?
Thanks to the I.L.G.* we’re paying our way.

So always look for the union label,
it says we’re able to make it in the U.S.A.

Almost quaint, isn’t it?

The song popped into my head yesterday during my first ever visit to Wal-Mart.

No, I didn’t look for union labels on the clothing for sale there. I knew better than to engage in so obvious an exercise in futility.

Oh, how times have changed.

* I.L.G.: International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union.

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