Labor Studies through Film Research Paper

Labor Studies through Film Research Paper

Salt of the earth

In June 1951 a strike paralyzed the work in a zinc mine in New Mexico, USA. The company that exploited her aptly named Empire rejected any negotiations with the miners and the strike continued indefinitely. The miners, organized a picket at the mine to prevent all access of labor demanded safer working conditions and health improvements in the homes that housed the families of the miners Latinos who the company was considerably worse than Anglo miners. Empire came to get an injunction to prohibit picketing miners but someone said that the document said nothing about the wives of the miners. The proposal was then integrate women picketing, but met with resistance from male strikers, was finally accepted (Lunt, 1979). The strike lasted well until January 1952 when the company relented and agreed to resume negotiations (Noam, 2002).

Most of the characters were played by local miners, their wives and neighbors in the area. Among these non-professional highlights Juan Chaco, who presided over the miners' union since 1950 and had been one of the main causes of the strike against the company Empire. Another real character is important Clinton Jencks, Anglo activist who advocates marriage between Anglos and Latinos against the wishes of the company. After shooting the film, Jencks had to leave their work at the mine in 1956, harassed by the witch hunt. A small part of the cast was professional interpreters. Filming began on January 20, 1953. At first the team had no difficulties in obtaining cooperation from local residents. The land which reconstructed the entrance to the mine was provided by an individual, as well as the premises of a nightclub that served as a studio to film the interiors. A local priest served as a link with other businesses in the area, which provided vehicles, fuel and food at reduced prices. A commissary provided, unofficially, some weapons that served as models for the necessary reproductions fabricate props in the film. Hostilities began with an article published the magazine Hollywood Reporter February 9: "The Hollywood Reds are shooting a propaganda film about racial issues in Silver City, New Mexico. Walter Pidgeon, president of the Screen Actors Guild, received information in a letter from a teacher who works in that area and immediately alerted the FBI, the Research Committee un-American activities and the CIA (Lee, 1969). " Although they had seen nothing of the rolling stock nor read the script, other media supported this claim. The direct result of this and other diatribes was that the initial cooperative spirit of the area was gradually replaced by a climate of hostility and violence. In March 1954 the salt of the earth was released commercially in the United States, but no major publication agreed to play their ads and only thirteen rooms across the country dared to display it, defying the threats of the IATSE. The criticism had little effect at the time, some influential media like ...