above: Martin Tremblay played a key role in bringing in the union.

left: St.Hubert MacDonald's outlet targeted by the union, closed by the company.

Synopsis

Union Trouble - A Cautionary Tale

63 mins, video, colour, 1999

 
Union Trouble - A Cautionary Tale is a dramatic story about a historic attempt to unionize the employees of the well-known hamburger chain McDonald's, known all over the world for its anti-union policies. The film follows the battle undertaken by a small group of employees of one restaurant near Montreal, in an attempt to create the only union at McDonald's in all of North America. When they enlist the support of the biggest union on the continent, the Teamsters, the conflict becomes a battle of giants.

After a year of conflict, it looks as if the employees are winning. But McDonald's plays its ultimate card: the company closes down the restaurant and throws the employees out of a job. In response, the Teamsters proclaim a national campaign to organize McDonald's restaurants. A campaign to be spearheaded by the laid-off young workers themselves. A historic initiative. The stakes are enormous.

Union Trouble - A Cautionary Tale follows this conflict blow by blow, and from the inside. It's a story full of suspense and surprising developments, the most surprising of all being the final outcome.

Production
Les Productions Virage inc.

Direction & Script
Magnus Isacsson

Production
Marcel Simard

Direction of Photography
Martin Duckworth
Andreï Khabad

Picture Editing
Annie Jean

Sound Editing
Natalie Fleurant

Sound
Magnus Isacsson
Yves St-Jean

Music
Robert Marcel Lepage

Research & Additional Interviews
Carole Vallières

Consultant
Patricio Henriquez

Text
Magnus Isacsson
Luc Durand

Narration
Luc Durand

Distribution
Les Productions Virage inc.

Produced with the collaboration of
Télé-Québec

Produced with the financial participation of

Canadian Television Fund created by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Cable Industry

Telefilm Canada: Equity Investment Program

Government of Québec-Québec Film and Tax Credit, administered by

SODEC - Société de développement des entreprises culturelles-Québec

Government of Canada: Tax Credit Program

Rogers Documentary Fund