Union

Brett Story & Stephen Maing / United States / 2024 / International Premiere / 102 min

In the wake of the digital revolution, a new labour market has emerged, but mostly for people who rarely have other choices. A labour market that is very much a market, but work is still the product for sale – and it’s often hard and poorly paid. Employees at one of Amazon’s gigantic warehouses in New York are joining forces to do something about it. In a historic fight for better rights, they start the Amazon Labour Union (ALU), but they’re not just up against one of the tech industry’s most powerful giants with unlimited resources. The ALU, led by charismatic leader Chris Smalls, must also learn to navigate the inevitable disagreements that arise among their own ranks and with the established unions. Filmmakers Brett Story and Stephen Maing document the process from the birth of the idea to the day it’s decided whether a union for Amazon employees will finally become a reality – and perhaps inspire others to follow their example. An epic drama portrayed in all its human detail with a sober eye.