Norma Rae Essay -- Capitalism Governmental Essays

Norma Rae In the film Norma Rae, the textile workers were unsatisfied with many aspects of their Capitalistic work environment. They fought to form a union so that they could change the undesirable characteristics to better meet their needs. Political, environmental and cultural processes all played a part in the workers struggle to form an effective union. Unlike the film, Matewan, in which the coal miners worked under feudal control, the employees of the O.P. Henley Mill worked amidst a Capitalistic Economy. The key difference between the two, is that the inhabitants of the town of Matewan did not have other choices of employment and the characters in Norma Rae had the ability to go into the free labor market and be active participants, choosing who they wished to work for. Throughout the film there was evidence of other forms of employment in Henleyville. There were jobs in town that required a higher degree of education that the workers in the mill may have received, a schoolteacher or a police officer for example. However, there were various other jobs in town did not require as much training. Some of these other job opportunities included working at the motel or in the local restaurants or bars as a waiter, a waitress, or a bartender. There were attendants at the gas station and workers at the grocery and convenience stores. In addition to these other choices of employment there was also a different economic system that the workers could have chosen to be a part of. Self – Employment existed in Henleyville. When Norma Rae is talking to Sonny Webster, before they went out on a date, they reminisced about when they were younger. â€Å"You used to come into my Mama’s bakery,† be remembered. The ... ...to promote the union without being fired. He explained that she could wear buttons on her shirt, hand out fliers during breaks and other additional freedoms. Eventually, the workers set aside their inhabitations and voted 373 to 427 in favor of the union. When asked, â€Å"What are you gonna do now?† Norma Rae said, â€Å"live – what else?† The question that the workers at the O.P. Henley Mill were faced with was not, where to work. They had the freedom to choose their employer. The workforce learned that they did not need to be trapped in an insufficient working environment and that by forming a union they could manipulate the parameters set by the Mill Company, to meet their requests. Works Cited West, Andrew. Capitalism.org West, Andrew. Capitalism.org