Before Lights, Camera, Action, There’s IBEW
The next time you go to a movie, you’ll see the work of a lot of union members on the screen: The actors, musicians and writers are all union folks and so are a lot of the behind-the-scenes people you never see.
But before all that screen magic happens, somebody from Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 40 was probably on the scene first making sure all the electrical connections worked, all the stage lighting was perfect and the sparks for the pyrotechnics were charged up.
In a new video (above), the members of Local 40 talk about their work in Hollywood and motion pictures, one of the last industries that is mainly made in America. The IBEW has been involved in motion pictures from the beginning, says Local 40 business manager Bill Brinkmeyer.
AFL-CIO Art Exhibit: Movies With a Mission
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Sprinkled through the movie industry’s filmography of Western shoot ‘em ups, romantic comedies, high drama and science fiction epics, you can find some serious–and sometimes humorous–cinema focused on workers, workplace struggles and economic justice.
A new art exhibit at the AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C. (and here online) presents posters and publicity stills from 29 American and foreign films that incorporate workplace and organizing themes.
The exhibit, “Working Class Heroes: A Selection of Film Posters and Stills,” ranges from well-known and popular films like “Norma Rae” and “The Grapes of Wrath” to lesser recognized works such as “Man of Iron,” a 1981 film that tells the story of the Polish Solidarity movement and its fight for recognition. Solidarity President Lech Walesa appears in the film as an extra in a wedding scene.
