Democracy Now! Interviews Director Deborah Shaffer

With Amazon and Starbucks union busting in the news recently, the 1979 documentary, The Wobblies highlights the continued struggle for workplace democracy.  By tracking down the founders of the Wobblies through posting flyers in an age before the internet, Shaffer was able to coax wisdom nuggets from historic figures, mostly now deceased. The pandemic made more apparent what many already knew — that exploitation of workers continues by ultra wealthy bosses such as Howard Schultz and Jeff Bezos. Long hours, unsafe conditions, many with no healthcare, starvation wages, all while CEOs make record profits.  What is more unbelievable, is how with record profits, they shirk their fair share of taxes.  In 1979, The Wobblies cracked open the vision of workers, humble and smart, but with solidarity that transcended race, ethnicity and gender.

If you are unfamiliar with Deborah Shaffer’s work, look her up on IMBD and you will see a slate of important films including a series in Latin America.  And fortunate for our film — Saving Walden’s World — Deborah was the Director for the Cuban filming. All the interviews you will see, are the product of Shaffer’s warmth and understanding of the complex issues we were exploring related to gender equality, sustainability, reproductive freedom and the negative impacts of US foreign policy on everyday Cubans, sadly to say, that continue to this day.  A shout out to Deborah!

This morning she was interviewed by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now.  For those of you who don’t tune in, please do, for you will get news stories that aren’t sculpted to not offend corporate advertisers.  A simply great interview!  And coming up over the next few weeks there will be opportunities to see the remastered documentary film “The Wobblies.”  Not to be missed!

Democracy Now Interview with Deborah Shaffer.

‘The Wobblies’ Restored: Revolutionary 1979 Labor Union Doc Will Inspire a New Generation of Exploited Workers

Common Dreams coverage of Starbucks Union Busting:

According to More Perfect Union, Starbucks has “regularly shut down stores, isolated new workers, held captive audience meetings, and subjected workers to a barrage of emails, texts, and videos with anti-union rhetoric.”

“We can resist and thrive, even among a storm of disinformation and fearmongering perpetrated against our best interests.”

Starbucks Workers United, the union behind the organizing efforts, says it has filed more than 80 unfair labor practice complaints against the company with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

On Wednesday, Starbucks filed its own unfair labor practice charges against members of Starbucks Workers United, accusing them of a “consistent pattern of disturbing behavior.”

Saving Walden’s World Focused on Alternative Economic Models

One morning we filmed Leidy with muckboots shoveling cow manure into a biodigester built by her younger sister Chavely.  Later, she works on her thesis. Her focus is to “lay the methodological foundations for the transition to family farms, specifically in Cuba, which can also serve as an example for other countries in the region at a minimum.”  Between the volatility of global markets, the embargo and having lived through the “Special Period” her family came to value resilience and self-sufficiency.  Leidy explains:

The goal of mine, and not only mine but of our whole family was to produced everything needed to live. That is, not only food, but also energy and the technology to produce those foods. Therefore we can be more independent and not harm the environment — with solar energy, wind energy, and water energy. We are powerful because we produce all without fossil fuels, without hiring or bringing supplies from abroad.

The biogas digester filled this morning will turn cow manure into methane for cooking, baking, dehydrating, refrigeration, lighting, and to generate power.  The effluent from the biodigester fertilizes their dozens of varieties of fruit trees and fields. This effluent turns out to be six times more valuable than milk to their system. In this way, the family produces over 98% of their food. They make soap, press cooking oil, grow rice and dry beans and more importantly, feel unrushed and involve the children in the daily rhythm. Leidy summarizes her vision as falling in love with the project of our life.

To see Leidy and her family in action on the land, click here.

And, now that Saving Walden’s World in now going to festivals and having screening, click here to sign up to receive information about how to see the film!