The Hand That Feeds
November 24, 2015 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Presented in partnership with the Workers’ Center of Central New York.
At a time when millions of Americans are about to sit down to a Thanksgiving feast we are presenting this film, The Hand That Feeds, in order to bring awareness to those who struggle for a just wage and fair and safe working conditions while working in the food industry. Donations welcome.
The Hand That Feeds is an award-winning new documentary about immigration, fast food, and making your own justice.
“A tribute to American labor… socially conscious documentary filmmaking at its best.” -Peter Keough, The Boston Globe- March 14, 2015
Synopsis
At a popular bakery café, residents of New York’s Upper East Side get bagels and coffee served with a smile 24 hours a day. But behind the scenes, undocumented immigrant workers face sub-legal wages, dangerous machinery, and abusive managers who will fire them for calling in sick. Mild-mannered sandwich maker Mahoma López has never been interested in politics, but in January 2012, he convinces a small group of his co-workers to fight back.
Risking deportation and the loss of their livelihood, the workers team up with a diverse crew of innovative young organizers and take the unusual step of forming their own independent union, launching themselves on a journey that will test the limits of their resolve. In one roller-coaster year, they must overcome a shocking betrayal and a two-month lockout. Lawyers will battle in back rooms, Occupy Wall Street protesters will take over the restaurant, and a picket line will divide the neighborhood. If they can win a contract, it will set a historic precedent for low-wage workers across the country. But whatever happens, Mahoma and his coworkers will never be exploited again.
View the Trailer HERE!