MovieChat Forums > Bread and Roses (2000) Discussion > I Love This Movie

I Love This Movie

posted 18 years ago by Jackiebryan80
3 replies | jump to latest

Hello, my name is Jackie. I am 25 years old. I am a member of UFCW (United Food & Commercial workers). I have seen this movie at many confrences I have been to. Its a great movie that shows how many employers are anti-union as well as how hard it is to organize workplaces. This movie gets me really excited everytime I go to a confrence because I know they will be showing it. We also sing the song that workers sing they walk down the streets in the protest.
Below I have posted the lyrics to the song:

As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand million lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses;
For the people hear us singing: Bread & Roses, Bread and Roses!

As we go marching, marching, we battle too for men
For they are women's children, and we mother them again
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread but give us roses to

As we go marching, marching unumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient call for bread
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew
Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too

As we go marching, marching we bring the greater days
The rising of the women means the rising of the race
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes
But a sharing of life's glories; Bread and Roses, bread and roses.

Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies, bread and roses, bread and roses!

[–] cgonzalezdelhoyo 18 years ago

Being spanish I find the situation in the US appaling.

In spain every worker has the rights you are fighting for, and this is by default, whether one is a member of a union or not.

The mayor unions break agreements with the government and business associations regarding working conditions and levels of pay, and this becomes law. So a cleaner is guaranteed a certain wage level, 40 hours a week, one month paid holiday and National Health insurance. And that applies to ANY job.

Infact, one is entitled to health cover even if he doesnt have a job, more so, even if you are an ilegal immigrant who has just arrived at the country and have no papers or anything, you have the right to be treated freely at a hospital WITHOUT giving information about you to the police!!! The only requirement is for that person to sign up as a resident at the local town hall, and no papers are required for that and by law, that information is not shared with the police or other government bodies.

This is what we call being CIVILIZED HUMANS, being good CHRISTIANS. So it is very sad to see that in the US people still have to fight for such basic rights.

It should not come as a surprised that Spain is considered to hive a higher standard of living to that of the US, in fact, most European countries have higher standards than the US.

[–] Desaad 17 years ago

Was your post to highligh the "Features" your country possibly has?
Besides, as we all know, Spain is one of the least productive country from Europe, people there think they're SUPERIOR, they're least responsible in respect to work, they live most of the time partying, and most important they do DISCRIMINATE people, specially latins... how ironic.

[–] mel4tigger 17 years ago

You point out some excellent things.

The US will never be able to compete on a global playing field because we do have to fight for healthcare in our work place. It is a major cost to all our contracts and if our government can see their way clear to actually having a national health plan... well - our wages will increase and we'll be able to maintain the healthy lifestyle that we all deserve.

As it comes to this movie - I love it! I am a trade unionist through and through and this movie makes my heart soar.