United Workers on Strike
by penchofifteenpolls | created - 9 months ago | updated - 9 months ago | PublicThe Writers and Actors guilds are currently having one of the most important strikes in Hollywood's history.
Among their demands are a fair pay of residuals in the streaming era and protection against the use of AI to replace them or copy their images.
The following films and TV episodes show workers on a strike.
Which one is your favorite?
Discuss Here
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1. The Angry Silence (1960)
TV-14 | 95 min | Drama
A young factory worker decides to stand up against his workmates and fellow union members when they want to hold a wildcat strike.
Director: Guy Green | Stars: Richard Attenborough, Pier Angeli, Michael Craig, Bernard Lee
Votes: 1,681
2. Billy Elliot (2000)
R | 110 min | Drama, Music
A talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family.
Director: Stephen Daldry | Stars: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood, Jamie Draven
Votes: 142,870 | Gross: $22.00M
3. Pencils Down! The 100 Days of the Writers Guild Strike (2014)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, History, News
The story of the Writers Guild of America strike of 2007-08 that pitted Hollywood's writers against the major studios.
Director: Brian S. Kalata | Stars: Miranda Banks, Christopher Barrett, Justine Bateman, Kai Bowe
Votes: 35
4. Newsies (1992)
PG | 121 min | Drama, Family, History
A musical based on the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. When young newspaper sellers are exploited beyond reason by their bosses they set out to enact change and are met by the ruthlessness of big business.
Director: Kenny Ortega | Stars: Christian Bale, Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall, Ann-Margret
Votes: 22,574 | Gross: $2.82M
5. 1900 (1976)
Unrated | 317 min | Drama, History
The epic tale of a class struggle in twentieth-century Italy as seen through the eyes of two childhood friends on opposing sides.
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci | Stars: Robert De Niro, Gérard Depardieu, Dominique Sanda, Francesca Bertini
Votes: 27,289
6. The Replacements (2000)
PG-13 | 118 min | Comedy, Sport
During a pro football strike, the owners hire substitute players.
Director: Howard Deutch | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman, Brooke Langton, Orlando Jones
Votes: 69,502 | Gross: $44.74M
7. Norma Rae (1979)
PG | 114 min | Drama
A young single mother and textile worker agrees to help unionize her mill despite the problems and dangers involved.
Director: Martin Ritt | Stars: Sally Field, Beau Bridges, Ron Leibman, Pat Hingle
Votes: 12,843 | Gross: $22.23M
8. Pride (I) (2014)
R | 119 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
U.K. gay activists work to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984.
Director: Matthew Warchus | Stars: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine
Votes: 61,656
9. Hoffa (1992)
R | 140 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The story of the notorious American labor union figure Jimmy Hoffa, who organizes a bitter strike, makes deals with members of the organized crime syndicate and mysteriously disappears in 1975.
Director: Danny DeVito | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante, J.T. Walsh
Votes: 24,801 | Gross: $24.28M
10. Matewan (1987)
PG-13 | 135 min | Drama, History
A labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community brutally and violently dominated and harassed by the mining company.
Director: John Sayles | Stars: Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham
Votes: 8,917 | Gross: $1.68M
11. Made in Dagenham (2010)
R | 113 min | Comedy, Drama, History
A dramatization of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination.
Director: Nigel Cole | Stars: Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone
Votes: 16,076 | Gross: $1.09M
12. Salt of the Earth (1954)
Not Rated | 94 min | Drama, History
Mexican workers at a zinc mine call a general strike. It is only through the solidarity of the workers, and importantly the indomitable resolve of their wives, mothers, and daughters, that they eventually triumph.
Director: Herbert J. Biberman | Stars: Juan Chacón, Rosaura Revueltas, Will Geer, David Bauer
Votes: 4,045
13. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)
PG | 103 min | Documentary
A heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.
Director: Barbara Kopple | Stars: John L. Lewis, Carl Horn, Norman Yarborough, Logan Patterson
Votes: 6,633
14. At War (2018)
113 min | Drama
After promising 1100 employees that they would protect their jobs, the managers of a factory decide to suddenly close up shop. Laurent takes the lead in a fight against this decision.
Director: Stéphane Brizé | Stars: Vincent Lindon, Mélanie Rover, Jacques Borderie, David Rey
Votes: 2,176 | Gross: $0.00M
15. The Organizer (1963)
Not Rated | 126 min | Drama, History
A former high school teacher turned unionist tries to organize workers laboring with inhuman conditions at a late 19th Century textile factory.
Director: Mario Monicelli | Stars: Marcello Mastroianni, Renato Salvatori, Gabriella Giorgelli, Folco Lulli
Votes: 3,286
16. Behind the Screen (1916)
TV-G | 30 min | Short, Comedy, Romance
Charlie is an overworked labourer at a film studio who helps a young woman find work even while his coworkers strike against his tyrannical boss.
Director: Charles Chaplin | Stars: Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell, Albert Austin
Votes: 3,030
17. American Dream (1990)
PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary
Recounts the 1985-86 strike against the Hormel Foods Corporation in Minnesota after its employees' wages and benefits were cut.
Directors: Barbara Kopple, Cathy Caplan, Thomas Haneke, Lawrence Silk | Stars: Lewie Anderson, R.J. Bergstrom, Ron Bergstrom, Wayne Goodnature
Votes: 1,011 | Gross: $0.27M
18. Harlan County War (2000 TV Movie)
104 min | Drama
A Kentucky woman whose mine-worker husband is nearly killed in a cave-in, and whose father is slowly dying of black lung disease, joins the picket lines for a long, violent strike.
Director: Tony Bill | Stars: Holly Hunter, Stellan Skarsgård, Ted Levine, Wayne Robson
Votes: 621
19.
Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975)
Episode:
The Nine Days Wonder
(1975)
TV-14 | 48 min | Drama
The entire household comes together when a General Strike is called throughout Britain in May 1926
Director: Simon Langton | Stars: Simon Williams, Gordon Jackson, Jean Marsh, David Langton
Votes: 78
Upstairs, Downstairs
20.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005– )
Episode:
The Gang Recycles Their Trash
(2012)
TV-MA | 21 min | Comedy
While the city of Philadelphia's garbage men are on strike, Dennis, Mac, and Charlie decide to start a trash pick up business. And while being a big success, they must find out where to put this newly picked up trash.
Director: Matt Shakman | Stars: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson
Votes: 2,367
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
21.
Superstore (2015–2021)
Episode:
Strike
(2016)
TV-14 | 21 min | Comedy
A full-fledged strike ensues when a group of Cloud 9 employees walk off the job to protest the firing of Glenn; Jonah tries to help Amy negotiate with corporate; Garrett meets a gorgeous woman on the picket line.
Director: Victor Nelli Jr. | Stars: America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn
Votes: 1,066
Superstore
22.
The Simpsons (1989– )
Episode:
Last Exit to Springfield
(1993)
TV-14 | 30 min | Animation, Comedy
When Mr. Burns revokes the plant's dental plan, forcing Lisa to be fitted with cheap, ugly braces, Homer leads its union into going on strike.
Director: Mark Kirkland | Stars: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith
Votes: 5,273
The Simpsons
23.
Monk (2002–2009)
Episode:
Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike
(2006)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A city-wide garbage strike throws Monk completely off his game as he tries to solve the murder of a union boss.
Director: Jerry Levine | Stars: Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine
Votes: 1,487
Monk
24.
Married... with Children (1987–1997)
Episode:
T*R*A*S*H
(1997)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
Jefferson has joined the National Guard. He tells Al and Griff of the benefits: for one weekend per month, one gets to party with a bunch of guys and even get paid for it. Of course, you ... See full summary »
Director: Amanda Bearse | Stars: Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, Amanda Bearse, Christina Applegate
Votes: 481
Married... With Children
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