Laborfest: Labor and Women's History in Movies and Song

The depth and breadth of Laborfest can be enjoyed at this screening of three educational and entertaining movies.

(1) The Ghosts Of Duffy's Cut (52 min) 2006 Ireland West Coast Premier
Producer: Dave Farrell, Directors: Stephen Rooke & Ruan Magan
This documentary tells the story of indentured Irish workers from Duffy, Ireland, who were brought to the United States in April 1832 to build one of the earliest stretches of railroad in Pennsylvania.
The search for the truth about what happened to these workers when there was a cholera outbreak is uncovered in this hidden history of our country and we see the real lives of these indentured workers.
From a stone to commemorate these 57 young Irish workers “To build their lines, Pennsylvania railroads had to tunnel through mountains, cross wide rivers, span deep gorges to lay the track upon which their trains would run. This was hard, physically demanding, low-paying labor and dangerous work. To find men desperate enough to build and maintain their lines, Pennsylvania railroads for generations relied upon foreign workers – Irish and Chinese, and Italians – and upon African Americans from the south. In 2004, a state historical marker was erected for fifty-seven Irish Catholic men whose fleeting chance at the “American Dream” ended in horror in August, 1832.”
Renee Gibbons will perform.
http://www.tilefilms.ie/
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20040620/ai_n12898492
http://www.duffyscutproject.com

(2) The Equal Pay Story:Scenes From A Turbulent History
(29 min) 2008 U.K. US Premier
Directed by Jenny Morgan, Produced by Jo Morris
This shows the historic struggle for equal pay for women workers since the 1888’s using archival footage. It is part of a labor education project called Winning Equal Pay, The Value Of Women’s Work sponsored by the UK TUC.
http://www.unionhistory.info/equalpay/

(3) Labor Music Videos Shorts By Chris Campbell, member Boilermakers Local 146 Canada
Shut Down Blues Canada (2007) 5 minutes, Gotta Be Safe Canada (2007) 4 minutes, There’s A Wild One Going On Canada (2007) 4:42 minutes With singer Renee Gibbon and Writer Daniel Cassidy
http://www.tigwired.com/
See also:
http://www.laborfest.net/2008schedule.htm