Spot on workers’ struggles
As a feminist collective, we specifically focus on making visible those perspectives, which have often been overseen in the history of worker movements, especially those of women and migrant workers. Three of the shown films are about the automobile industry in Europe: of the “wilden Streik” (ferocious strike) near Pierburg (Neuss, NRW) over 50 years ago for “eine Mark mehr” (a Mark more), about a satirical video by the group “Verkehrswendestadt”, thematizing how Porsche and VW profited from the Nazi regime, on to an occupied factory near Florence. The struggle of the “Collettivo di fabbrica Ex-GKN (The Factory Collective Ex-GKN)” became known in German-speaking countries through the reporting of labournet.tv and continues to receive unbroken support here. The planned conversion of production to cargo bikes instead of car parts shows the potential of labor struggles for an ecological and social transformation. Our second feature film “Der laute Frühling” (The Loud Spring) also deals with this topic.
On 9 July 2021, 422 workers at the GKN factory in Campi Bisenzio (Florence, Italy) were informed of their layoffs via email. They immediately gathered at the factory and have been holding an open-ended assembly since. labournet.tv visited them in June 2022. They discuss their connection to the region and talk about the demonstration that joined 30,000 people with them under the slogan "Insorgiamo!" ("Let's rise up!"), used by Italian partisans in 1944. They also talk about their collaboration with climate activists and their vision for more sustainable production.
… >>>
During the Volkswagen shareholders' meeting in May 2024, the bust of Ferdinand Porsche was decapitated! This was a symbolic act. Civil society had been asking for decades to remove the statue of the Nazi and war criminal at Bahnhofsplatz in Wolfsburg. Ferdinand's grandson, Wolfgang Porsche, who chaired the meeting, was not amused.
… >>>
- Director: Verkehrswendestadt
From February to October 1973, there was a wave of ferocious strikes in West Germany with 275,000 workers across 335 companies participating. In August 1973, there was a spontaneous strike at the automotive supplier Pierburg at Nuess led by migrant women working in production. They fought against wage inequality and bad working conditions, supported by their German colleagues. The strike was successful and led to the abolishment of “Leichtlohngruppe II” (”Light Wage Group II” - DM 4,70 / hour), applicable exclusively to women.
… >>>
- Director: Edith Schmidt-Marcello, David Wittenberg
In 2021, Duygu Kaya participated in a ferocious worker’s strike at Gorillas. As a result, she was terminated without notice. Together with two colleagues, she sued for reinstatement and draws attention to the difficult situation precarious workers face in Germany: On the one hand, they need to defend against the illegal practices of their employers while on the other, they often have no option but self-organized strike without union support. The video is part of a series in the struggle for a comprehensive right to strike.
… >>>
