iwwggrandson

West Virginia Author – Shawn Bennett (2007)

25m; U.S.

Director: Gordon Simmons

Synopsis: Host Gordon Simmons interviews Shawn Bennett, the director of the new WV labor documentary, “The Battle of Local 5668.” Bennett talks about his father and family in Parkersburg. His father worked for years at the Ravenswood Aluminum plant including during the lock-out shown in his film. He also talks about spending several years making the film, commuting from his Hollywood job where he is currently trying to organize members of his profession.

Contact: http://librarycommission.lib.wv.us/html/ltn/index_ltn.html

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Documentary, Organizing, Strikes-Strikebreaking-Lockouts

Welcome to Bataville

13 Jun

90m; U.K.

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Documentary

West Virginia’s Underground Economy (2006)

13 Jun

30m; U.S.

Synopsis: A short film documenting West Virginian companies importing employees from out of the state, paying cash to employees to avoid taxes, and using other underhanded tactics . Also seventeen TV commercials about the WV Jobs Act, 40-hour workweek, outsourcing, clean water, business development and other themes.

Contact: Affiliated Construction Trades Foundation- A Division of the West Virginia State Building and Construction Trades Council – AFL-CIO tttp://www.actwv.org/commercials.mx. Commercials about unfair practices are at Access: http://actwvvideo.merlix.com/

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Big Business/Corporations, Documentary

Tags: Mining

West Virginia State Archives Labor Films (Various Years)

13 Jun

5m each; U.S.

Synopsis: A collection of 5 minute long (each) audio and video files of or about historical labor events. Including: Kaiser Aluminum, 1957 Walter Reuther at the West Virginia Centennial Celebration, 1963 Hominy Falls Mine Disaster, 1968 Farmington Mine Explosion, 1968 Black Lung Rally, 1969 UMWA Presidential Candidate Arnold Miller at Miners’ Rally, 1972 Dedication of the Mine Health and Safety Academy, 1976.

Contact: Audio/Video Files from the West Virginia State Archives. Access: http://www.wvculture.org/history/av.html

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Available Online, Documentary, Labor History

Tags: Mining

Westray (2001)

13 Jun

Synopsis: Canadian mining disaster.

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Documentary, Safety & Health

Tags: Mining

Western Coal – An American Dilemma (1980)

13 Jun

21m; U.S.

Synopsis: This films investigates the various issues and conflicts arising out of the extensive strip mining activities in and around a small Montana town. One one side are the coal companies, ranchers who want to sell their land, work men who need jobs and merchants who need the business. On the other side are ranchers and towns people joined by legislators who are concerned about destruction of their land and their way of life. Supported by the Tri-State Humanities Commission. The film helped establish a dialogue between the opposing sides.

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Documentary, Organizing

Tags: Mining

West of the Tracks (2003)

13 Jun

545m; China

Director: Wang Bing

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Documentary

Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary (2005)

13 Jun

97m; U.S.

Director: Arturo Perez Torres, Heather Haynes

Synopsis: Wetback, a quietly commanding documentary, follows in the footsteps of immigrants traveling from Nicaragua to the United States. On their journeys, they encounter gangs and vigilantes, as well as border patrol. But these immigrants navigate real-life nightmares with uncanny calm, grace, even humor. And director Arturo Perez Torres does all of us a favor by getting out of the way and allowing them to tell their stories.

Contact: http://www.ironweedfilms.com/films/wetback

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Posted by iwwggrandson on June 13, 2012 in Documentary, Immigrants/Immigration