Chinatown Co-op Worket Speaks

WM vol.1no.1 oct. 1971

THE WORKERS SPEAK.

MRS. CHOW (37 YEARS OLD)

I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT A CO-OP WAS AT FIRST. I THOUGHT THE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE VERY GOOD AND REALLY WANTED TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN CHINATOWN, BUT I DIDN’T THINK THEY UNDERSTOOD THE GARMENT INDUSTRY VERY WELL.

I WASN’T THE FIRST WORKER HERE. I CAME BY HERE ONE DAY TO WATCH THEM MAKING CLOTHES AND I ASKED IF I COULD HAVE WORK, THE YOUNG PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE CO-OP WAS. THEY SAID IT WAS FOR THE PEOPLE AND THAT ALL ASIANS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO HELP EACH OTHER.

IT DEPENDS ONI THE PEOPLE IN THE CO-OP WHETHER IT WORKS OR NOT, WE DO THE WORK, SO ThE CO-OP BELONGS TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN IT. WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE OUR WORK, WHEN WE HAVE MEETINGS WE SPEAK OUR MINDS OUT.

I TALK TO MY FRIENDS ABOUT THE CO-OP AND THEY SAY_, “IF IT WORKS, LET ME KNOW”, THEN THEY WILL COME HERE,. TOO. THEY HADN’T THOUGHT ABOUT A CO-OP BEFORE.

MRS. CHANG (40 YEARS OLD)

I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT. YES, I THINK THE CO-OP IS MUCH BETTER THAN OTHER PLACES, IT’S MUCH FREER. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE BOSS AND ALL.

I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CO-OP FROM A FRIEND, THE UNIONS DON’T REALLY DO ANYTHING, ONILY WHEN YOU GET SICK, MAYBE. BUT IT’S USELESS. I NEVER JOINED THE UNION (ILGWU).

IN OTHER GARMENT FACTORIES I JUST WORKED FOR THE BOSS. THE PAY ISN’T THAT MUCH MORE HERE, BUT IT’S NOT FOR THE MONEY THAT WE WORK HERE.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VERY NICE, ALL THE BOSSES WANT IS DOLLARS. BUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE WANT WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE.

MRS, LEE (36 YEARS OLD)

IT’S VERY HARD TO WORK IN AMERICA BECAUSE MANY OF US CHINESE CAN’T SPEAK ENGLISH AT ALL. AND WHEN WE GO TO ADULT SCHOOL TO LEARN, WHAT WE LEARN ISN'T ALWAYS TOO MUCH USE, BUT HERE WE ARE LEARNING ENGLISH TOGETHER AND WE LEARN THINGS AND WORDS WE CAN USE IN OUR WORK AND IN DEALING WITH THE MANUFACTURERS,