As a seasoned documentary enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the raw and unfiltered truth of nonfiction filmmaking, I must say that “Union” is nothing short of a masterpiece. Brett Story and Stephen Maing have crafted a work that not only highlights the political struggle of labor organizers but does so with an artistic finesse that is often absent in documentaries today. The opening shot alone, with its haunting depiction of the Amazon warehouse as a dystopian landmark, sets the tone for a film that is both visually striking and intellectually engaging.
Brett Story and Stephen Maing often highlight the immense size of the multinational corporation that labor organizers in the documentary Union are challenging by using images of the complex systems that keep it running. In the initial scene of the film, a container ship slowly enters view, filled with goods destined for the Staten Island warehouse at its core. At first sight, the building appears like a dismal dystopian landmark, adorned with an Amazon logo resembling a menacing Joker’s grin on one side. The glimpses we get inside are equally bleak, showing workers huddled over conveyor belts in vast, fluorescent lit areas. The movie frequently revisits a shot of what seems to be automated shelves moving in an empty room. Later, the Amazon Labor Union will project messages such as “You are not a number. You are not disposable. You are a human being” onto the compound walls during their struggle to unionize. It’s evident that the company, with its high turnover rate and conditions dictated by algorithms, prefers its employees to be seen as mere numbers, but until technology enables full automation, they will continue treating them as replaceable parts instead.
Union, an exceptional documentary, stands out by being politically insightful yet artistically nuanced in its presentation. The conventional belief that documentaries must serve as vehicles for data and arguments, often cluttering the screen with statistics or molding themselves into straightforward debates to make an impact, has unfortunately stifled the vitality of nonfiction filmmaking. Union, by allowing its subjects to dictate the narrative through their actions and personas, demonstrates the power of trust in them. Moreover, it showcases how visuals can communicate just as effectively as text.
In essence, the movie Union isn’t particularly humorous, but it showcases a strong bond among its subjects who persevere through challenging work conditions. The central figure is Chris Smalls, a father of three who initiated organizing after his dismissal from Amazon for protesting insufficient COVID-19 protections for workers. He often spends time outside the JFK8 warehouse, where he used to work, cooking food and engaging with employees who visit about the benefits of uniting. Chris, along with his fellow union advocates – a blend of former and current Amazon employees, as well as external organizers joining the cause – have been tasked with the most difficult approach: establishing a new union from the ground up (the ALU has since affiliated with the Teamsters). Throughout the film, we see Chris, the embodiment of their struggle, gaining recognition, as one worker notes upon first meeting him. However, we also witness his determination and charisma, along with his growing frustration. As they navigate their journey, they learn valuable lessons while simultaneously figuring things out as they progress. Their strategies, discussions on Zoom, and in-person meetings reveal their planning, encouragement, and internal disagreements under mounting pressure.
The intensity is palpable, and the upcoming Union, starting in spring 2021, unfolds like a contemporary techno-thriller, with scrappy underdogs taking on a colossal corporation. It features some remarkable instances of dialogue, such as when ALU members disrupt a compulsory anti-union meeting to present an alternative perspective, gradually swaying a grumpy attendee initially hostile to their presence. However, it also portrays the sheer fatigue this endeavor can bring, and how it wears down various volunteers, one of whom has been residing in her car for three years, and another who gets apprehended by the police.
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2024-10-19 00:53