MovieChat Forums > American Dream (1990) Discussion > This movie is heart breaking...

This movie is heart breaking...

posted 16 years ago by hannahp1
1 reply | jump to latest

I just watched this in my union class for the masters program I am in and was mesmorized. To be honest, when it first started I thought it was going to be some political propaganda slanted one way but it was not.

It was heart breaking, real and scary all in one. All of the snow and ice in it reflects the coldness of the movie.

I wish there would be a followup to see what happened to some of these lives after they all lost their jobs.

What the people of union P9 did not know was the company has a right to hire their jobs out. There was no provision in the contract that protects these workers from that and they got screwed in the end.

I kept thinking the unions are the reasons that companies are outsourcing now, to survive in a competitive environment. But then again there is also corporate greed involved.

Fascinating.

9 out of a 10.

[–] celestedrake-83582 7 years ago

"A competitive environment"? Hormel had just posted record profits. I'll repeat that for emphasis. Hormel had just posted record profits. Hormel did not need to cut wages to stay "competitive." It chose too, in hopes of making even more money and frankly, weakening the union. Unions do not stay strong in eras of concessionary contracts. How strongly will members support their own union if all they can see if wage and benefit cuts. Yes, the local made devastating mistakes here. Devastating. Unions aren't perfect. But unions did not CAUSE this mess, and they don't CAUSE outsourcing. Unions exist to provide leverage for workers in the power struggle with employers. We're stronger alone, said no one ever.