American Dream (1990)

Synopsis: Barbara Kopple's disturbing account of the protracted strike of the employees of the Hormel meat-packing plant in Austin, Minnesota, in 1984 is set against the backdrop of the Reagan... Barbara Kopple's disturbing account of the protracted strike of the employees of the Hormel meat-packing plant in Austin, Minnesota, in 1984 is set against the backdrop of the Reagan administration's demolition of the nation's air traffic controllers union, a move that would help create the worst climate for organized labor since the 19th century. Doubtless emboldened by this decision, Hormel management announced a wage cut from $10.69 to $8.50 an hour, along with a 30% cut in benefits, despite a banner year in which the company posted a $29 million profit. Against the advice of Lewie Anderson, director of meat packing for the United Food and Commercial Workers International, the local union, P-9, elects to strike and hires New York consultant Ray Rogers, a specialist in assisting unions to strategize. As weeks turn into months it becomes evident that Rogers is a skillful flack and motivational trainer but understands little about the complex negotiation he has helped set in motion. A fitting companion piece to the director's earlier HARLAN COUNTY, USA, this Oscar-winning exposé is a tour de force of documentary filmmaking, unfolding the inexorable tragedy of the Hormel workers with compassion and an acute eye for the revelatory detail. [More]

Director: Barbara Kopple

Director: Barbara Kopple