New Haven Independent

Posted by: Susie Voigt | July 15, 2008 4:59 PM

I had a chance to see the mural just last week - bravo to Susan Bowen and Virginia Blaisdell for their wonderful work. And a very special thank you to the members of the jury and Sue Weisselberg who worked very seriously in choosing this wonderful artwork for this special school. The auditorium of Troup School is being named after my husband, the late Phil Voigt, Alderman from the 27th Ward and executive board member of Local 35 at Yale. This mural takes me back to the early 80's and the enormous pride we all felt about this great change at Yale. That's Phil and I (with those 80's sunglasses) at a union rally on Bienecke Plaza in 1984.

I also spot my dear friend Donna Mitchell,(5th picture from the top, far right)then working at the Yale School of Medicine, now a teacher in Wallingford.

We are all lucky to have been a part of that historic moment. Thank you, New Haven, for your support then and now.

Posted by: king james v | July 15, 2008 5:13 PM

The only mural missing is Che Guaveria's. Perhaps Destefano has allowed this kind of socialist propaganda because he's looking for big union give backs and concessions.

Posted by: Clararose Voigt | July 15, 2008 5:53 PM

Thank you New Haven for honoring my parents in such a memorable fashion! That is my favorite picture of them together and I have the original framed hanging in my room.

My father was born and raised in New Haven. His dedication to the city and its people was clear through his years of leadership both as an alderman and union leader. He is the perfect role model for New Haven's students and next generation of leaders; I know he is mine.

Posted by: Paul | July 16, 2008 12:45 PM

King James,
hope you enjoy your weekends.

Posted by: king james v | July 16, 2008 4:53 PM

Thank you Paul, i do enjoy my weekends. Props to the Union folks of the early 1900's who sacraficed to end child labor and unsafe working conditions, and give workers a better life. They made my life better, and i appreciate and admire thier struggles.
I just wish i could find an efficient, reliable american car, american made clothing or textiles, a municipal worker who did something that wasn't thier job or just some good old american steel. Oh well, i got my weekends free to watch my japaneese television in my indonesian sneakers and chineese sweat suit. and now i can go buy belgian beer in my german (old VW) car during commercials.
If the union top brass hadn't raped their workers from the 40's to present, and the baby boomer unions hadn't consecioned away my generation's future,and if modern workers were more worried about quality than coffee breaks, i may just be driving a Plymouth, watching my zenith, wearing american made sneakers and drinking a cold delicious Hull's straight out of my westinghouse fridge.

Posted by: Bill Berndtson | July 16, 2008 11:29 PM

The handsome young man in question is Nick Aiello, who was at that time either an Organizer, or Business Agent, or International Representative of the ILGWU. He held all of those positions at different times.

Nick is now President of the Greater New Haven Labor History Association, and Director of the UNITE/HERE Retirees association.

According to Nick Aiello, the Basketball team is from Local #151 International Ladies Garment Workers Union.

Posted by: dan fish | July 17, 2008 2:14 AM

I made a big ommision. I do in fact buy New Balance sneakers just because they are assembled here in New England (although much if not most if the shoe is actually created overseas) and i buy new balance because they are made here. I look hard for items manufactured here, i look online and ask questions because i do know that money spent on american made items, stays here. We send our gas money, our electronics money and now even our beer money to companies overseas. Money is leaving the USA quickly, much too quickly. And the "guest" workers? Just where is their monies going? Ecuador, Mecxico, Eastern Europe and Asia. Not back into our economy. If the american Unions are so good and so strong, why, why is this happening?

Posted by: dan fish | July 17, 2008 2:15 AM

i can't think of anything i've ever bought made in the US

Posted by: John Tulin | July 17, 2008 7:29 AM

King J (and other anti-union people) -

Certainly some unions are corrupt and top-heavy, but many are open, democratic and truly behind their workers. Without them, good and bad, we would go right back to those turn of the century working conditions you describe.

This mural represents, it appears, unions members. American workers who organized to achieve a better standard of living for their fellow citizens. Isn't that some to celebrate, something patriotic? Is it their fault bosses, to earn even bigger profits, abandon America (worker and consumer) and move abroad?

Posted by: John Tulin | July 17, 2008 7:32 AM

King J (and other anti-union people) -

Certainly some unions are corrupt and top-heavy, but many are open, democratic and truly behind their workers. Without them, good and bad, we would go right back to those turn of the century working conditions you describe.

This mural represents, it appears, unions members. American workers who organized to achieve a better standard of living for their fellow citizens. Isn't that some to celebrate, something patriotic? Is it their fault bosses, to earn even bigger profits, abandon America (worker and consumer) and move abroad?

Posted by: jacob | July 17, 2008 8:37 AM

First- This is really an excellent idea. New Haven has such a wonderful history--especially a wonderful labor history--to celebrate, and good for the public schools for making sure their students know it. I'm also impressed by the aesthetics of it.

Second- What a bizarre argument King James V is making. It's somehow the unions fault that American cars are crummy? Does he think that that union bosses design cars? That they're making the decision to focus on gas guzzlers when gas is expensive? Japanese cars are built by union members too, yet somehow they're good enough for King James. Perhaps the difference isn't the workers or their organization, but rather management.

Posted by: John Tulin | July 17, 2008 11:33 AM

(Sorry, computer froze - didn't mean to post twice)

Posted by: Bill Berndtson | July 17, 2008 11:35 AM

Good words Jacob!

That Labor History is available at www.LaborHistory.org

Posted by: Carlos R | July 17, 2008 2:02 PM

King James V-

Those American workers on their coffee breaks are statistically the most productive workers in the world. American CEOs make 500 times the average American worker. So let's be clear about who is responsible for the crisis facing the American middle class: the Jack Welches (GE) and Lee Iacoccas (Chrysler), not John DeStefano, not the labor movement.

Posted by: tina | July 17, 2008 4:09 PM

I would know that face anywere.....NICK AIELLO..haven't changed that much..
Susie Voight nice picture of you and Phil...
boy did you look different...

Posted by: dan fish | July 17, 2008 5:39 PM

Here's my beef. Where are the garment factories of yesteryear? Where is Winchester? Where is Bigelow - sargent, hell where is Peri sausage? Gone! All gone. If the unions are so stong why did theylet them go without a riot? my mom was a non union officer at stop and shop warehouse in north haven for 20 years TWENTY YEARS - the union there signed a 7 year contract they knowwouldn't be honored, but they signed it knoowing - at the expense of the clerical workers and non union folks, they'd get thier severance. same goes for - of all the liberal places in the universe - Antioch college in Yellow Springs OH - the "promised land" of leftism. 'splain that to me lucy (regrets t oMr. Arnez).
Either today's unions are powerless, or in collusion, either way, not something to celebrate.

Posted by: walt bradley | July 18, 2008 12:55 AM

The turn of the century unionists saved us (the regular folks) from unspeakable tourtures, and many of them paid with their lives. Haymarket, the appalican coal mines, the new york teacher strike of 30+ years ago were milestones of achievement and honor. To be a 1930's young socialist must have been something. When we made things in the United States, when we took pride in our work, when during WWII union workers broke the sex and race bariers and put their personal lives on the back burner to get a common job done must have truly been a workers'paradise.
However, in the last 40 years, Industry after industry after industry has headed south or east - in massive droves. The fault lies somewhere. The american consumer, the stockholders, managment, and to some degree, i think- the Unions.
I see no union sponsored ladies' bowling teams these days, in fact i see bowling alleys increasingly becoming chineese buffets, or retail.
I see the unionists of my dad's generation retiring to florida while my school mates from high school struggling to meet their mortgage payments. I also see myself , non union, yet still pro union, making way less than my union buddies sucking up, paying my bills and taking second jobs. It's hard for me to grieve for my peers who make substantially more, with bennies (benefits)up the ying yang. i'm not really giving an opinion, just making social commentary..
I do like the historic aspect of the pictures though, which i guess was the purpose of this story.

Posted by: delegate | July 18, 2008 9:36 AM

The man with his arm raised in the 8th photo, 1st from the right is Dale Lucas, an 1199/SEIU Healthcare union member and organizer from Yale-New Haven Hospital. The bearded man with the fedora hat (4th from the right) is Stan Israel, 1199/SEIU vice-president.

Posted by: Bill Berndtson | July 18, 2008 1:42 PM

Can you find John Wilhelm?

Posted by: Mona Conner | July 28, 2008 8:47 PM

Susan Bowen's artistic decision to focus on the spirit of the people
in this mural rather than on specific events or groups, allows the mural's impact to go beyond it's specific message and speak on a higher level about what it means and how joyful it can be when people work together for ANY important cause. I'm sure the students and teachers will be greatly inspired by it as well! Great work Susan.

Posted by: virginia blaisdell | July 30, 2008 11:10 PM

Something like 15 of the pictures in that mural are mine, which means that I personally witnessed people defying their bosses (and often their families and friends) - on pain of being fired - to make a public statement about what was wrong with the conditions of their employment. What they won was a benefit to all who came after them, union members or not. They well deserve to be memorialized in enamel on steel.

It might be worth remembering that, though we all claim to believe in democracy, most workplaces are the most UN-democratic situations on earth. These people in the mural have done a lot to give workers in our country a democratic voice. We need more of them.

Posted by: virginia blaisdell | July 30, 2008 11:29 PM

Delegate --

Can you send me addresses for the 2 folks you identified? They should be invited to the Grand Unveiling (or whatever) in October. Email Paul Bass and he will forward (I hope).
Thanks