Lifelong RWDSU Local 1-S Member Leads Off Thanksgiving Day Parade (11/25/09)

For most of her life, Rose Richardone, who works in the office at Macy's flagship store in New York City's Herald Square, has been a RWDSU Local 1-S member. In fact, RWDSU Local 1-S has never existed without Richardone's membership.

To celebrate her extraordinary 70 years of service to Macy's, Rose is cutting the ribbon to lead off the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday.

It's been a long and interesting journey for Richardone, and she has seen many changes along the way, including one that would profoundly affect her and thousands of other retail workers in the city. Richardone was there for the birth of RWDSU Local 1-S and the beginning of the union at Macy's.

Richardone was hired as a bookkeeper at  Macy's 70 years ago this past thursday. At the time her name was Rose Syracuse, and she was a 17-year old who had just graduated high school. There was only one other Macy's store, in Parkchester, New York, and and neither of them had a union. Much like today, the economy was shaky and there was trouble abroad, with the country still feeling the effects of The Great Depression and Europe engulfed in war.

According to Richardone, these were difficult times.

"We worked 48 hours a week, including Saturdays, and we earned $14 a week," Richardone said. "Everyone worked because everyone needed a job, but we knew things could be better." 

Amidst the turmoil, Rose and her co-workers found comfort and security in the union.

"People really wanted the union so things would be better for us. I remember it all!," Richardone said. "We marched around the store, we marched around the block, in the winter cold with our hats on. And we did it!"

It wasn't just a victory for Richardone and her co-workers, it was a victory for the generations of Macy's workers who followed.

"The union fights for you.  They really help you. Otherwise how could you do it all by yourself? Nobody would listen to you," Richardone points out.

Besides the union, Richardone has seen many changes in her years at Macy's, most she says, for the better. 

"The store is even nicer now than it was then. It's exquisite. And everything is more sophisticated now," Richardone said.

Richardone still enjoys coming to work full-time and has no plans to quit.

"It's what keeps me going," she says. "I really like the people that I work with.  That makes a big difference."

As Americans across the country celebrate the holiday season with their loved ones, members of union families can be thankful for their union voice and people like Rose Richardson who helped build and strengthen the labor movement in this country. 

RWDSU Local 1-s President Ken Bordieri presents Rose Richardone with a pin commemorating her longstanding membership in the union.