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Thursday, February 12, 2009

AMERICAN DREAM

ARTICLE


How has the relationship between workers and management changed since this movie?

Give examples.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

After watching the movie I felt bad for the union members. They fought so long and hard to get their jobs back with better pay but in the end most of them ended up moving away or trying to find work somewhere else.

Towards the end, when Hormel was offering $10 an hour I was thinking that they should just take that what's the big deal?, but when you think about all the bills they have to pay for and the things that they need to maintain there homes in a small town like that $10 an hour is just making it.

It was good that they fought for what they believed in but sometimes you just have to do what you need to do to survive, if it was me I would have gone back to work.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Sana. The workers did work hard to get their jobs back and get better jobs and earn more money. But when Hormel was offering $10 an hour, it made no sense to me why everyone was complaining because just making it like Sana said its a lot better than not making it. Just because you fight for something you want doesn't mean you are going to get it. Life is ruff and times are hard but eventually people will get what they deserve.

Anonymous said...

I thought it was really remarkable how the battle for the Hormel plant workers restored wages started as an economic feud and eventually escalated into a battle of egos, reputations and beliefs. The debate for or against unions has long been dragged on, and there really doesn't seem to be a right answer. I think that unions were much more useful during time periods like the industrial revolution or during the early 1900's than they are now, because it was more likely that employers would take advantage of their employees during this time period.
Though what unions represent is workers' rights and that is very important part of our country. They don't just fight for payment rights and better wages. Unions also fight for better working conditions and other workers' rights.
In the Hormel situation, it became more about representing the Union than actually winning the wage battle. Even when it was clear that the Hormel executives wouldn't back down, the Union kept on fighting, honorably, but with little reason. It cost thousands of jobs and money for many American families in Minnesota.
No matter the situation, workers and management of companies must work together during labor or payment disputes. The town of Austin relied on the Hormel plant to get jobs and money and when it no longer was available it ruined the town and the people in it. That type of situation should never happen again.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Sana also about the workers fighting so hard to keep their union jobs, they fought so long to get them back with good amount of pay, but the outcome was sad for most of them. They had to move on and go work somewhere else. Many people would have probably gone back to work if it were to be happaned in our time, because if you needed to support a family you had to earn income from someplace. Some of the workers were stubborn and wanted things like they were before. When Hormel was offering $10 an hour, the workers did not choose to take it, but instead wanted more money.

a.pervaiz

Anonymous said...

I agree with Sanaa and i also have something to add to that; these workers fighting for what they really wanted and needed to survive showed everyone else around them that their rights as Americans might now be taken seriously. Those workers protesting and losing sleep (as well as money and time)helped others to understand that they didnt just have to take what was dished out to them by the government. It showed that they their voice no longer had to be silent about something they didnt agree with.

Anonymous said...

These type of things rarely occur between management and unions now. They can cut jobs of workers just like that without consulting the workers. Nowadays certain companies make it illegal or against company policy to form a union. Management does whatever they want now. The outsourcing of jobs is the prime example. Factories and plants close and workers are told their job is shifted to another country.

Anonymous said...

The workers in the movie showed a lot because to be constantly fighting in the cold for several weeks showed a lot. But I agree with A.Potter when he said "But when Hormel was offering $10 an hour, it made no sense to me why everyone was complaining". The people should have taken the money because it was much better then standing outside the cold and getting no pay. You need to support your family, life is not about all the other people living around you. You need to take care of yourself and make better decisions for yourself and your family because that is the most important thing in your life.

Anonymous said...

The Hormel company situation was an unfortunate thing that I probably would have taken part of with the union and the workers. All they were doing were protesting for more money which the company did have to distribute.I believe that you should get the reward for the labor that you put in. The factory owners were being cheap and money hungry. I think the strike was needed to be done to show the companies that the workers are not fools, but on the other hand the factory owners are inconsiderate people towards others. I still don't think much will change until there is a change in owner or if the government stteps in .

Anonymous said...

The Hormel company situation was an unfortunate thing that I probably would have taken part of with the union and the workers. All they were doing were protesting for more money which the company did have to distribute.I believe that you should get the reward for the labor that you put in. The factory owners were being cheap and money hungry. I think the strike was needed to be done to show the companies that the workers are not fools, but on the other hand the factory owners are inconsiderate people towards others. I still don't think much will change until there is a change in owner or if the government stteps in .

Anonymous said...

To be honest i snooze through half the movie but after looking at the previous comments, i give a lot of respect for these guys because if i where in their positions, i dont think i could have gone through it. I probably would have gave up and try and look for a new job but then i wouldnt get one so i would have gave up again. And now it seems like where are about to enter that same nightmare and hopefully come out of it, not happy because that seem impossible but with the best possible way we can get to start over with.

BTW- matt b. has 2 comments

Anonymous said...

I believe the relationships changes in many ways. They were supposed to work as a team, but as time goes by and things get harder they try to find their own benefit behind anything they do. As Usman has said these types of things rarely occur between management and unions now. It is illegal for many of the companies to form unions. Many of these jobs are taken away from workers in this economy and no one can really do anything about it.

R. kaur

Anonymous said...

I feel bad for those people who work real hard for full day and not getting money that they deserve. I don't think its fair that workers get a small amount because how people will live if they don't have enough money for living and other stuff to do. The union people have to fight for their rights.

Anonymous said...

i agree with sana sometimes you do need to do in order to survive when Hormel they should have taken it because if they didnt they would be out of a job. And all of the people in the movie where complaining about their famlies an what they where going to do. They should have set aside their pride and took their job back if the 10 dollars an hour didnt do enough for their family put in over time.your family if you have one should always come before your pride.

Anonymous said...

I felt bad for the people in this movie because of the long and hard path they fault for. They didn't receive what they were expecting in the end, but they needed to support their families and needed their job back. I was happy that some of the workers had gone back to get their jobs, they decided to take what they had and support their families.

Anonymous said...

Watching the movie " American Dream " made me realize that its not always fair they way you get rewarded. The workers from the movie and in reality work very hard at what they do. And not always does everyone get what they deserve. The workers showed so much hard work and dedication through out the whole movie and I really respect them for that.

ETHAN R. said...

The movie really made me think about all those union workers that strive to get top dollar.The union members of Hormel tried to fight to gain a higher wage. In the end the deal cam down to $10. I happen to have thoguht that it was a reasonable amount. It baffled me that the members didn't take the offer. Heck, I would.I even remember one of them saying they turned against there brother because he worked the minimum wage even though alot of people where on strike and fighting for a better wage.There was a lot of chaos at the last meeting they had in the movie.

N. Budhu said...

Unions are a good thing for working class citizens, and often times the rights that are fought for are reasonable. The Hormel employees fought for something that in my opinion, after some time was ridiculous considering that other factories were paid way less. It was too dragged out; they should have compromised early on. Although it sucks to be paid a buck or two less (what was proposed toward the end), it was a lot more compared to others. Change sucks, deal with it.

Gitu K. said...

The union members worked really hard to get what they wanted for there people. But most people gt what they wanted and then some already moved on. I mean like you have to think about the people around you, not only yourself but your family. So its hard to just to stop going to work and just do nothing. If it was me i would of went on that strike and got a good paying job later, and kepp another job on the side until that one came back in place.

-Gitu k.

Jray Vicencioz said...

I think that workers are treated better now because they know as having a union its stronger and they can do the worst things to their bosses under the right causes and never get fired. Workers before were forced to take less and less and resulted in a strike that got mass firings in that area. But in America anyone is willing to work for the right amount of money and people get to greedy to the point where they depend on it so much they have no source of other money in that area.