Location: Maryland 110

The Chloe Center for the Critical Study of Racism, Immigration, and Colonialism is pleased to sponsor a free screening of the new documentary UNION (dir. Brett Story & Stephen Maing), about the Amazon Labor Union, on Tuesday, November 19, at 7pm to 9pm in Maryland 110.

After the screening, there will be a brief panel discussion featuring recent Johns Hopkins alumni who have worked as union organizers, speaking about their experiences and inviting current students to get involved in the labor movement.

About UNION:

Through intimate cinema vérité, UNION chronicles the extraordinary efforts of an unlikely group of warehouse workers as they launch a grassroots union campaign at an Amazon fulfillment center in Staten Island, New York. Led by the charismatic but underestimated Chris Smalls, the diverse band of workers start the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) and embark on a journey against one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world.

The odds are stacked against them, as the group finds itself up against a tech industry giant with unlimited resources, without major support from national unions or politicians, and while navigating internal divisions within their own ranks. Filmmakers Brett Story and Stephen Maing document the struggle from day one, offering a gripping human drama about the fight for power and dignity in today’s globalized economic landscape. 

Because UNION mounts a critique of Amazon, the film has been unable to acquire a commercial distributor, as no major company wishes to be seen as challenging the Amazon empire. For this reason, this screening at Johns Hopkins will mark only the second time this powerful film has been shown in Baltimore.

View the film’s trailer on YouTube.

This event is co-sponsored by the Life Design Lab.

This event is open to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and members of the public.