‘Salt of the Earth’, years ahead of its time, is not only a pro-labor film, but also attacks racial and gender inequality as hindrances to the labor movement.

‘Salt of the Earth’, originally released in 1954, tells the true story of a union of zinc miners in New Mexico who, with the help of their whole organized community, go on strike against Empire Zinc company, and employing unorthodox methods, overcome all the obstacles thrown up by the local, state and federal government, and win.

The miners, their families, and their community, who incidentally make up the majority of the film’s cast, produced the film in an attempt to spread awareness of this winning example across the country.  Instead, the US government blacklisted ‘Salt of the Earth’ and the film all but disappeared into obscurity.

Eastern Farm Workers Association (EFWA) will lead a talk before and after the film using the film’s example to discuss the American labor movement’s many winning tactics, as well as mistakes, and how EFWA is actively applying these lessons here in Central New York.

EFWA is a free and voluntary unincorporated membership association of the region’s migrant and seasonal farm workers, domestic workers, independent contractors, temps, day-laborers, those working for their fixed incomes, and more, all of whom are ‘unrecognized’ by US labor law.  100% volunteer-run and non government-funded EFWA’s self-help, community-supported benefit program keeps its members on their feet while they learn to organize and fight for long-term solutions to the growing economic problems working people face throughout Central New York.

Free to the Public