Laborfest East Bay: 5 labor films from US, UK, Austalia, Japan

Five labor films for tonight:
(1) Video: "Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Woman in America" by Rosemary Feurer, Laura Vasquez
Mother Jones, one of the most famous Irish born labor activists in the US had a brutal life. Her 5 children died in a yellow fever epidemic in Memphis, Tennessee. She then moved to Chicago and during the Chicago fire she lost her home, shop and all her belongings. In her late 50’s she began to struggle for workers rights with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and helped organize strikes and marches including marches to protest child labor. This powerful video tells her story and the fight for rank and file power that she stood for. Rose will also discuss her new book Radical Unionism In the Midwest 1900-1950.
(2) Stolt Australia: A video by the Maritime Union Austalia (MUA) film unit about the fight by MUA ship crew of the MT Stolt who to keep it from being reflagged with the resulting destruction of jobs. The crew debates whether to take up the fight and what it means from them and the workers in the rest of the industry. The need for solidarity was clearly the decisive factor in making this a victory for the crew and the union.
(3) We Live On the Railroad: This is the story of the fight against privatization of JR (Japan Rail) by railroad workers union.
(4) The Cleaners Christmas Carol: Rail and tube cleaners campaign by the UK RMT for decent wages (a living wage of £7.05 per hour). The living wage campaign goes against Scrooge.
(5) Hola Australia: Australian wharfies win a trip to Cuba and learn about fellow maritime workers as well as the healthcare system of the country. This first hand look at the healthcare in Cuba and how it operates