Harlan County, USA director Barbara Kopple is back with a new film, but this time she's focusing on labor stories in and around New York City. Kopple, known for her documentary work on the labor movement, is exploring the struggles of delivery workers, including those for Amazon, UPS, and food-delivery apps. Her latest project aims to shed light on modern-day unionism and the challenges faced by workers in the gig economy.
Kopple's previous films, Harlan County, USA and American Dream, both won the Academy Award for best documentary. They documented the 1976 Kentucky coal miners' strike and the 1985-1986 meatpacking workers' strike, respectively. Now, she's returning to the subject of worker organizing, capturing the interconnected labor stories of New York City's delivery workers.
What's striking about her findings is the harsh reality of the gig economy. Kopple notes the dangerous and physically demanding nature of warehouse work, with Amazon's 'get fired or get hurt, keep going' ethos and UPS's push for faster delivery speeds at the cost of worker safety. The filmmaker is disturbed by these stories, especially given the high cost of living in New York City, which makes workers more cautious about speaking out.
Kopple highlights a significant victory for labor rights in New York City, where the Council passed a measure requiring apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats to provide justification and appeal processes for deactivating or firing food delivery workers. This change addresses the issue of app companies arbitrarily firing workers without appeal options.
However, Kopple faces challenges in her filmmaking process. Embedding with workers and union organizers in New York is more difficult than in her previous projects, as workers are afraid of job loss due to the high cost of living. This makes it harder to gain the trust and openness needed for storytelling.
Adding to the complexity, Kopple's work is being produced against the backdrop of the Trump administration's combative stance against labor and its impact on arts funding. The administration's actions have scared independent foundations and documentary filmmakers alike, making funding a significant hurdle for Kopple's latest project.
Despite these obstacles, Kopple remains dedicated to telling these labor stories. She believes it's crucial to continue documenting the struggles of workers, especially in an 'anti-union time.' She emphasizes the importance of using films, songs, and written pieces to penetrate people's hearts and souls, continuing the fight for labor rights.
