The Willmar 8

Duration: 49

Year Published: 1980

Creator: California Newsreel

Format: 16mm

Color: Color

Sound: sound

Description: The story of how sex discrimination drove eight unassuming, apolitical, church-going women who worked in a bank in a small, midwestern town, to take the most unexpected step of their lives. The women employees formed a union and began the first bank strike in Minnesota history in efforts to win equal opportunity and dignity in the workplace. , Documents the strike against a bank in Willmar, Minnesota, by eight women employees who claimed the bank discriminated against them in its personnel promotion policies. Stresses the solidarity of the workers as they march a picket line for nearly two years and receive national publicity. Features portraits of the women and interviews with officials of other unions who supported them. Examines how the townspeople reacted and implies that the bank was sold during the strike because its profits were considerably reduced. Concludes with the women's dismay when the National Labor Relations Board gave them an unfavorable ruling and their jobs were permanently lost. Views the women as heroic figures who continued their fight as long as possible, despite emotional and financial hardships.

Complete Record: The story of how sex discrimination drove eight unassuming, apolitical, church-going women who worked in a bank in a small, midwestern town, to take the most unexpected step of their lives. The women employees formed a union and began the first bank strike in Minnesota history in efforts to win equal opportunity and dignity in the workplace. , Documents the strike against a bank in Willmar, Minnesota, by eight women employees who claimed the bank discriminated against them in its personnel promotion policies. Stresses the solidarity of the workers as they march a picket line for nearly two years and receive national publicity. Features portraits of the women and interviews with officials of other unions who supported them. Examines how the townspeople reacted and implies that the bank was sold during the strike because its profits were considerably reduced. Concludes with the women's dismay when the National Labor Relations Board gave them an unfavorable ruling and their jobs were permanently lost. Views the women as heroic figures who continued their fight as long as possible, despite emotional and financial hardships., NOTE: Two (or more) records have been merged together to create this data.