I'm neither pro-union nor anti-union. I don't know enough about it to have an opinion. However, watching this movie last night, I realized that a union was a good thing for these particular workers. So at the end when they were tallying up the votes, why would 300 (and some) people vote against it??
shareI wondered that myself! All I could think about that was that the workers were fed things by the company, about unions making their jobs at risk or some such?
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
I think this movie touches upon it fairly well. Many poor people wear being overworked and underpaid as a badge. They feel that they're living the American dream and protecting it from socialism and whatnot. I did a paper that touched on these issues in Sociology in college. I think it's stupid, but never underestimate the power of the elite to brainwash the poor into thinking they get what they deserve.
shareI only "wear" being overworked for special events, holidays, etc. (It's a joke. Your analysis is strong...)
shareMany poor people wear being overworked and underpaid as a badge.
More fear of the devil they *didn't* know than of the devil they *did*.
Don will fix it. He knows what that nut means to Utz and what Utz means to us.
Because a lot of people felt that managment wouls sack them if they voted for the union and a lot of people felt that unions (being this is the American south and very high on American spirit), thought that Unions were anti American.
shareWhat this story doesn't show or what people seem to forget is that in the end, this actually cost people their jobs. The union caused the price of labor in the Carolina textile mills to be too expensive and now all of these jobs moved out of the country. So, in the end, the unions cost these people their jobs. So, who was really right? Probably the 300+.
shareYou are correct Mr. Sexton. A living wage, retirement, health care, safety, and workers rights do, and did cost more money.
I'd like to point out something you skipped over though. Remember when Norma Rae's father said he made $1.33 an hour? That was a 1970's wage. Right now, today in 2013 you can go to the garment mills in 3rd world countries and what's the wage? Some where right around that $1.33 for the ENTIRE DAY! So even if wages hadn't been raised at all, it would still be cheaper in those other countries. That's not the fault of the Unions.
As for people voting against the union companies would threaten workers with their jobs and disseminate information like the Jews and Blacks would take over the plant jobs and toss the white christians out.
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because they were uneducated and bought into the propaganda that unions meant communism and however dirt poor they were, they disliked communism even more than the management that exploited them.
For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco
you hit the nail right on the head Ithilfaen.
share[deleted]
"libtards" How mature.
Yeah it did backfire but I guess libbasher is fine that people were underpaid, being treated like dogs and were dying BECAUSE of the work. But hey that's OK right? Who cares if people die? Who cares it they live below the poverty level? Who cares if they hate their lives and work? As long as we keep those factories open and work those workers like slaves and treat them like dirt! Right libbasher? The only retard on this board is you.
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It would be nice if u focus on the movie instead of lashing out at anybody who DARES disagree with u. BTW I foumd your comments laughable and pathetic. If America is such a horrible place why are u living here? Oh that's right--you're one of those people who b*tch and moan endlessly cause no one else will listen to your pathetic ramblings on how terrible things are. Get a life.
sharewhat? You think I say America is such a bad place why am I living here? Excuse me? I LOVE living in America. How can you be so confused? It is YOU who believes America is a nation of miserable, stupid drones who are treated like dogs, and abused, in vitual low-pay slavery, across the entire country. How can YOU want to live in a country where you believe all the workers are abused and treated like dogs.
I truly cannot understand how your liberal mind works.
YOU are the one who said America sucks. YOU said American workers are all abused and treated like dogs in near-slave conditions.
But you say it is ME who hates living in America?
Wow. Just wow.
Maybe you should read a book, get away from the television, and became aware of what is going on around you. Reading can be good for you.
ummmmmmm--I was just referring to the MOVIE. I never EVER said ALL of America was full of suffering workers. You're putting words into my mouth. I was just discussing the MOVIE. This may be news to you but this is a board about the MOVIE--not political views. You're the one complaining about how horrible unions are and are destroying America. I happen to think unions are great and are NOT tearing America apart like u imply. Also I think most of Americans are happy in their jobs AND are treated fairly. Your ignorance and untrue accusations of me really boggle the mind. Are you that controlling? Do you always have to be right?
Wow. Just wow.
So I guess it's ok that the factories shut down the plants here and sent the work overseas to some other country where people live below the poverty level and are treated like dogs? Unions drive the price of labor too high. It's been proven all too often. Look what happened to Detroit. It's a ghost town now. So is Flint. What needs to happen is the CEOs of these companies need to take a cut in pay, back down to an acceptable level. I don't see how they can justify the ridiculously inflated salaries and bonuses they pay themselves. $50 million a year? That's outrageous! That number is just an example, by the way.
shareI think libbasher411 means Liberty Basher no Information Please!
shareIt means LIBeral basher.
Voted for obama, didn'cha??
I can tell by how in-tell-i-gent you are!
Let's get back to the film and the topic at hand. I think the people that voted against the union were afraid of getting fired and also having to pay union dues. That could easily offset raises. I also think showing this is done intentionally. Yes, the union supporters won but there were a lot people against it. That tell me that there were a lot of difficult times ahead for that factory and all of the people that worked there. The union vote could have made things worse by dividing the workers.
shareOkay, you obviously prefer to give reasoned, articulate responses. I prefer to "throw bombs" because liberals upset me so intensely.
I think we are both anti-union. But remember, if you aren't driving a liberal crazy, you're not having fun!
My father was a supervisor at the plant that this movie is based on. The movie was based on a Roanoke Rapids, NC plant owned by JP Stevens. Norma Rae was actually a woman named Crystal Lee Sutton. My father knew her but he was not her direct supervisor.
He said that the movie exploited and lied about a lot of things, but there were some things it got right. He was actually threatened and we had to move out of the state for more than 5 years.
The union came in and now you can drive by the old buildings that are abandoned. One has been torn down while another is in the process of being torn down.
Crystal Lee Sutton passed away September 2009.
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=21312696
by happy_accidents (Sun Aug 2 2009 14:45:46) ... I realized that a union was a good thing for these particular workersI'll leave the explaination as to why unions are so wrong for people to others. My question to you is when people know longer want the union what do they do? Do some homework. Find out the number of people required to vote a union 'in'. Then find out what is required to vote them 'out'.
The SCTV version was better...
share#1 - They were afraid of losing their job if the vote comes up short or its a rigged vote
#2 - Like many companies do now - as soon as an union is voted in - the plant suddenly closes