Directed by Sasha Reuther
Narrated by Martin Sheen, Brothers on the Line explores the extraordinary journey and legacy of the Reuther brothers - prolific labor leaders and organizers whose crusade for social justice, at the helm of the United Auto Workers union, forever transformed the auto industry and labor in this country. The film follows the brothers as they rise from shop-floor organizers in 1930s Detroit to leaders in collective bargaining, civil rights activism, and international labor solidarity.
In 1930s Detroit, a new industrial revolution came to life in the colossal factories of the Motor City. Taking a stand against oppressive working conditions, young autoworkers, Walter, Roy, and Victor Reuther, overcame intimidation and violence to help organize sit-down strikes; the most successful occurring at the General Motors facilities in Flint, Michigan. Their bold rhetoric challenged the mighty automakers, winning unprecedented quality-of-life gains, giving a voice to the rank-and-file, and establishing the United Auto Workers as one of the most influential unions in American history.
As UAW President for nearly three decades, Walter was heralded as a visionary negotiator and leader, with his brothers as advisors on community, political, and international affairs. Together, they forged a potent coalition of Washington lawmakers, overseas dignitaries, and social activists. The union's innovative settlement details encouraged a flourishing middle-class, while its resources supported the burgeoning civil rights movement in a common fight for a fair shake. On the other side of this impassioned battle, stood a web of adversaries threatened by the Reuthers' and determined to silence them. While the FBI files overflowed with accusations of revolutionary subversion, conservatives and captains of industry team up to discredit the union. Dissent within the UAW bubbles to the surface as the Reuther brothers faced heart-wrenching consequences at the crossroads of their political loyalty and militant rank-and-file roots.
Spanning over forty years, and featuring an impressive roster of interviewees including autoworkers and executives, historians, activists, professors and civil rights leaders, Brothers on the Line delivers an in- depth examination of the legacy of the visionary labor organizers. A timely tale of one family's quest to compel industrial America to live up to its promise of a fair day's wages for a fair day of work, this is a dramatic document of successful social action.
Reviews
~ "Shows how the brothers built the U.A.W. and how that union helped raise living standards for not just one million autoworkers, but also for a large swath of America. The film shows the fierce struggles and sit-down strikes that led to the unionization of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, and how the U.A.W. played a major role in underwriting the civil rights movement as well as that of Cesar Chavez and the farmworkers." - Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times
~ "A touching homage to three working-class men who played an underappreciated role in every major social movement during 40 years of American history."- Washington City Paper
~ "A wonderful, historical studyˇI encourage everyone to see this. It's a very important part of American history that was never told in school."- KCUR
Awards
~ Winner, Best Documentary Feature, Detroit Independent Film Festival/ Michigan Film Awards
~ Winner, Best Documentary Feature, Workers Unite Film Festival
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