Trumka: Labor Film Festivals Help Build Global Solidarity

“I love labor film festivals,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told the attendees of the 4th annual Global Labor Film Festival Organizer’s Conference. “Movies transform your life for a few hours,” said Trumka. “Suddenly, you’re watching lives and struggles you might otherwise never see, or you find yourself with a new view of your own life and struggle. You have a chance to see yourself, and your brothers and sisters, in new ways. Art can do that. Art brings alive the past and the world around us, and allows us to imagine a future we might not dream of on our own.” 

Welcoming representatives from 20 festivals in 11 states, the UK, Taiwan and Pakistan, Trumka said that “What you all are doing here is absolutely wonderful.” The only conference of its kind in the world, the October 8-9 event – which expanded to two days this year -- is organized by the DC LaborFest, and Trumka was introduced by LaborFest Chair Jos Williams...

“When you create film festivals,” Trumka said, “you help build movements, and even aid organizing drives. I believe (labor film festivals) produce more activists than we really know, because people come and they watch the film and they get inspired. And they say 'I'm going to do something about it.'" 

‘As your festivals grow and spread through this country and the world, our movement for working families will spread,” Trumka said. “Keep up the good work!” 

The conferees agreed to hold another Global Labor Film Festival in May 2015, and to include a labor shorts contest, as well as to continue building solidarity among labor film festivals around the world. 

Click below to see Trumka’s welcome and here for more on labor film festivals. Anyone interested in being part of the 2015 DC LaborFest can email [email protected]

- Chris Garlock, DC LaborFest; group photo by Johnny Johnson