As a seasoned gamer and labor activist, I’ve seen my fair share of battles – be it virtual or real-life struggles against oppressive systems. The documentary “Union” is a stark reminder that the fight for workers’ rights has been an ongoing battle since the inception of capitalism itself. It’s disheartening to see how little progress we’ve made in 70 years, but the resilience and determination shown by Chris Smalls and the Amazon Labor Union give me hope.
I just finished watching Herbert J. Biberman’s groundbreaking 1954 movie, “Salt of the Earth.” This independent film documented the brave efforts of New Mexico miners fighting for fair wages and improved living conditions. As an avid supporter of labor rights, this film stood out to me as a bold and unapologetic portrayal of union struggles.
As a gamer, I’ve come to realize that America’s foundation often overlooks and oppresses marginalized groups. The harsh treatment depicted in “Salt of the Earth” isn’t an isolated incident; it’s a recurring theme in a nation that prioritizes the wealthy elite and colonizers over the masses. If you need evidence, I’d point you to the recent documentary “Union”. Seventy years on from “Salt of the Earth”, we see the big screen echoing with largely non-white workers fighting for their voices to be heard. Cops still serve as hired enforcers, carrying out the bidding of the rich, even resorting to brutalizing the working class. The only shift across seven decades is the scale of the corporation these workers are protesting against.
The primary focus of the Union isn’t merely displaying protest signs in a mining town. Rather, they are engaging in a boycott directed at Amazon, a corporation boasting a staggering $1.97 trillion market capitalization.
Chris Small is spearheading the movement on this project. He’s a former labor organizer who was recently dismissed from an Amazon warehouse on Staten Island. Despite his termination, Small continues to champion the rights of his fellow workers. In fact, he has established the Amazon Labor Union. The union members are working tirelessly to gather enough backing to establish the first official Amazon union in America. As with any group advocating for working-class power in the U.S., Small and his team face numerous obstacles.
There’s a difference between the guidelines for creating rules and how Amazon operates, particularly in their business practices. For instance, to initiate a vote for unionization, a certain number of active employees at a company must sign petitions. However, Amazon’s high employee turnover rate in warehouses makes reaching that requirement difficult. Furthermore, Amazon often takes disciplinary action against workers involved in labor movements. These issues are numerous and challenging, but the persistence of Smalls and his team is commendable.
In Spring 2021, filmmakers Brett Story and Stephen Maing begin work on their documentary Union. They focus on the Amazon Labor Union members as they approach a crucial vote in April 2022 (some footage from late 2022 is also included). This tight focus makes the urgency of their efforts strikingly apparent. By focusing narrowly, they subtly emphasize the limited resources and time available to the Amazon Labor Union. This focused approach underscores the significance of even casual interactions between Smalls and ordinary Staten Island residents. Every encounter between the Amazon Labor Union members and the working class carries weight.
During the Union’s most compelling moments, hidden camera footage offers a revealing look into the world of Amazon warehouses and its workers. This covertly captured material exposes superiors attempting to remove pro-union notices and provides glimpses into actual employee training sessions and anti-union videos. The tension is palpable as these raw, off-the-cuff recordings flash across the screen, leaving one fearing that an Amazon executive might suddenly appear and confiscate the device. These daring insights into the heart of the beast serve to underscore the significance of what Smalls and his team are struggling for.
This footage provides a compelling illustration of Amazon Labor Union members disrupting an anti-union seminar led by Amazon executives, which is noteworthy because it’s unusual to see mainstream American documentaries portray acts of disruption as commendable. Furthermore, this segment offers an intriguing portrayal of the Amazon Labor Union successfully persuading and finding common ground with hesitant Amazon employees regarding union representation. Using a phone camera to capture the evolving tension in the room makes it seem as if you are right there in the thick of things.
In simpler terms, when not employing innovative secretive filmmaking methods, the cinematography in ‘Union’ lacks originality and is quite standard. The movie could greatly benefit from creative editing or framing to match the courageous activists portrayed. Additionally, it would be beneficial for the camera operated by Story and Maing to capture more details about Chris Smalls, as there are only a few instances where ‘Union’ takes the time to develop his character. Despite this film being informative about Smalls as a labor leader, he remains somewhat mysterious as an individual.
Despite the occasional disagreements, the Union persists more frequently than it falters. A significant part of this resilience stems from their readiness to express dissent within the Amazon Labor Union, even addressing concerns such as one member’s fear that it might become exclusive or male-dominated. This openness about internal conflicts gives a realistic portrayal that people are at the heart of this endeavor. They argue and have disagreements just like anyone else.
In essence, as far as my memory serves me, no one in the movie “Salt of the Earth” freely distributed joints. However, the essence of Biberman’s 1954 film, “Salt of the Earth”, is reflected in the current movie titled “Union”. Seventy years later, cinema is again employed to testify to the strength and resilience of working-class individuals, as well as the oppressive systems they face. If you were already infuriated by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his self-aggrandizing space travel, the movie “Union” will fuel your anger to previously unseen levels.
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2024-10-25 22:15