American Jobs

Starring:Greg Spotts
Studio: The Disinformation Company
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
American Jobs is a personal investigation of the "jobless recovery." In the first six months of 2004, Director Greg Spotts visited nineteen cities and towns across the US, interviewing workers who had recently lost their jobs due to low-wage foreign competition. His heartfelt documentary reveals families and communities left behind by the brave new world of Outsourcing and Offshore Manufacturing. The film explores both blue-collar and white-collar occupations, interviewing workers in the garment, software, aerospace and textile industries. In their own words, the workers and their families describe their personal struggle to retrain for an uncertain future, and share their concerns about the health of the American Dream.

In addition to sharing the stories of American workers, American Jobs demonstrates how the NAFTA-inspired movement of manufacturing plants to low-wage countries has established a template that is now used to shift high-skilled white-collar work to India and other countries. The final segment of the film explores the recently signed Central American Free Trade Agreement, which faces a high-profile battle in Congress during the first months of 2005.

Description

American Jobs is a personal investigation of the "jobless recovery." In the first six months of 2004, Director Greg Spotts visited nineteen cities and towns across the US, interviewing workers who had recently lost their jobs due to low-wage foreign competition. His heartfelt documentary reveals families and communities left behind by the brave new world of Outsourcing and Offshore Manufacturing. The film explores both blue-collar and white-collar occupations, interviewing workers in the garment, software, aerospace and textile industries. In their own words, the workers and their families describe their personal struggle to retrain for an uncertain future, and share their concerns about the health of the American Dream.

Customer Reviews:

the tip of the iceberg.......2007-05-17

I took a chance on Greg Spotts because he's worked with Robert Greenwald. Absolutely outstanding, if you want to know how NAFTA really works. Get Spotts' little CAFTA book too.

Flawed, but still useful for understanding job flight.......2007-01-17

I share the criticisms of this film that Thomas Fackler writes of in his customer review. I'm going to give "American Jobs" an additional star though, because it does offer an important look into the outsourcing issue, and touches on global trade policies.
There is a great deal of discussion regarding "neoconservatives" these days, and deservedly so; but we also need to inform ourselves of "neoliberal" economics, which tear down protections countries utilize to protect local economies and also privatizes public services and jobs. The Wikipedia review of "neoliberal economics" and the writings of Noam Chomsky cover some of the problems with this corporatist agenda that's harming so many people all over the world.

For a DVD that includes the concerns of people in sweatshops in Mexico and China, I'd recommend "Wal Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices." It appears that since we have multinational corporations and financial institutions, there will need to be a larger multinational labor and human rights movement. The inspirational documentary "The Fourth World War" includes amazing footage of grassroots struggles around the world. As they increasingly network and operate in solidarity, the world will become a more just place. The "World Social Forum" is one such effort.

One-Sided Look.......2005-11-17

The title of this DVD should say it all. It's called American Jobs and Greg Spotts staunchly defends his subject matter. Outsourcing is quite devastating to American workers, but Spotts fails to adequately look at the effects that the outsourced jobs have on foreigners (many of whom survive another day because of the American jobs they've taken).

One-sided documentary.......2005-11-06

Although there is some mention of the border problems that NAFTA has exascerbated as well as the low wages that workers in other countries receive there is no real discussion of that side of the story. This documentary shows much of the hidden rascism that exists in our country due to white privelege - especially in those interviews with white collar workers who lost their jobs and couldn't believe that someone else (of color) could do the job as well as they.

I got the sense of a lot of anger and frustration being directed - not at those who deserve it; the businesses and the government that supports them - but directed at those who also are being exploited for higher profit margins and then dumped when another set of exploitees is found.

Points such as living wage, universal health benefits, cooperative work projects (government or community run), as well as many other positive places to put that anger and frustration aren't mentioned or discussed.

Over all the documentary puts some of the blame on the international corporations, some of the blame on the government, and some of the blame on the people in other countries who are willing to work for less just to feed themselves and their families. The last of these needs to dropped from the equation so that worker anger can be directed where it will make the most effect.

A great movie Not Left wing tripe.......2005-04-27

The recent flood of left wing docu-movies have created a bunch of Michael Moore like clones, and this film is not one of them. It is a just the facts look at what is going on with the job market. At the rate the USA is force-feeding American jobs onto the 3rd world we will have double digit unemployment and hyperinflation within a few years time.

Classic Aircraft Engineering Film DVD: Dial D For Design, A 1950s Aircraft Design, Airplane Engineering, Air Plane, & Jet Development Film

Average customer rating:

Classic Aircraft Engineering Film DVD: Dial D For Design, A 1950s Aircraft Design, Airplane Engineering, Air Plane, & Jet Development Film

Manufacturer: Quality Information Publishers Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Table Of Contents:
(1) Dial D For Design (1950s) - 28 Minutes
(2) Sentinel In The Sky (1955) 14 Minutes

ASIN: B000MD8UIY

Product Description

Classic airplane design and engineering films featuring footage of the North American F-107A. Design aspects for airplanes are discussed as well as radar and navigation systems. Table Of Contents: (1) Dial D For Design (1950s) - A behind the scenes look at airplane engineering and development. Technical and design aspects of airplane engineering and design are at discusses at length in this fascinating airplane engineering film 28 Minutes (2) Sentinel In The Sky (1955) - Animated classic about the development and importance of radar to navigation systems for airplanes 14 Minutes

1992 American Truck Historical Society, Portland, OR

Average customer rating:

1992 American Truck Historical Society, Portland, OR

Manufacturer: Wheels TV
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Portland, Oregon is the site of this year's American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) national meet. Hundreds of rigs, big and small, straight jobs, dump trucks, tow trucks, fire trucks, semis, military, pick-ups and heavy haulers spanning the 100 years of trucking history converge for this multi-day trucking extravaganza. See these meticulously maintained and restored beasts of burden and meet their owners in this colorful panarama of trucking. Macks, Autocars, Internationals, Whites, GMC's, American LaFrance and more are all here. These are the official video tapes of the American Truck Historical Society's annual conventions and antique truck shows. Each video contains over 45 minutes of exclusive footage, interviews and informed narration providing bumper-to-bumper coverage as hundred of the world's finest classic and antique trucks and their owners gather together to celebrate trucks and trucking history. This exciting story is presented by the multi-award winning television production team at WheelsTV, a bunch of car guys and gals who are truly Wild About Wheels.

Average customer rating:

American Jobs (Documentary Film)

Manufacturer: Spottsfilm
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Product Description

"A Critically Important Film" - Lou Dobbs Tonight/ CNN "American Jobs" began as a personal exploration of the "jobless recovery." During the first six months of 2004, first-time filmmaker Greg Spotts hit the road with a video camera, interviewing recently laid off workers in nineteen cities and towns. With heartfelt personal stories, the nonpartisan film explores the impact of outsourcing and low-wage foreign competition on America's blue-collar and white-collar families, revealing a growing economic crisis.

1994 American Truck Historical Society, Buffalo, NY

Average customer rating:

1994 American Truck Historical Society, Buffalo, NY

Manufacturer: Wheels TV
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Buffalo, New York is the site of this year's American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) national meet. Hundreds of rigs, big and small, straight jobs, dump trucks, tow trucks, fire trucks, semis, military, pick-ups and heavy haulers spanning the 100 years of trucking history converge for this multi-day trucking extravaganza. See these meticulously maintained and restored beasts of burden and meet their owners in this colorful panarama of trucking. Macks, Autocars, Internationals, Whites, GMC's, American LaFrance and more are all here. These are the official video tapes of the American Truck Historical Society's annual conventions and antique truck shows. Each video contains over 45 minutes of exclusive footage, interviews and informed narration providing bumper-to-bumper coverage as hundred of the world's finest classic and antique trucks and their owners gather together to celebrate trucks and trucking history. This exciting story is presented by the multi-award winning television production team at WheelsTV, a bunch of car guys and gals who are truly Wild About Wheels.

1991 American Truck Historical Society, Marlboro, MA

Average customer rating:

1991 American Truck Historical Society, Marlboro, MA

Manufacturer: Wheels TV
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Marlboro, Massachusetts is the site of this year's American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) national meet. Hundreds of rigs, big and small, straight jobs, dump trucks, tow trucks, fire trucks, semis, military, pick-ups and heavy haulers spanning the 100 years of trucking history converge for this multi-day trucking extravaganza. See these meticulously maintained and restored beasts of burden and meet their owners in this colorful panarama of trucking. These are the official video tapes of the American Truck Historical Society's annual conventions and antique truck shows. Each video contains over 45 minutes of exclusive footage, interviews and informed narration providing bumper-to-bumper coverage as hundred of the world's finest classic and antique trucks and their owners gather together to celebrate trucks and trucking history. This exciting story is presented by the multi-award winning television production team at WheelsTV, a bunch of car guys and gals who are truly Wild About Wheels.

1995 American Truck Historical Society, Spokane, WA

Average customer rating:

1995 American Truck Historical Society, Spokane, WA

Manufacturer: Wheels TV
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Spokane, Washington is the site of this year's American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) national meet. Hundreds of rigs, big and small, straight jobs, dump trucks, tow trucks, fire trucks, semis, military, pick-ups and heavy haulers spanning the 100 years of trucking history converge for this multi-day trucking extravaganza. See these meticulously maintained and restored beasts of burden and meet their owners in this colorful panarama of trucking. Macks, Autocars, Internationals, Whites, GMC's, American LaFrance and more are all here. These are the official video tapes of the American Truck Historical Society's annual conventions and antique truck shows. Each video contains over 45 minutes of exclusive footage, interviews and informed narration providing bumper-to-bumper coverage as hundred of the world's finest classic and antique trucks and their owners gather together to celebrate trucks and trucking history. This exciting story is presented by the multi-award winning television production team at WheelsTV, a bunch of car guys and gals who are truly Wild About Wheels.

1993 American Truck Historical Society, Milwaukee, WI

Average customer rating:

1993 American Truck Historical Society, Milwaukee, WI

Manufacturer: Wheels TV
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the site of this year's American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) national meet. Hundreds of rigs, big and small, straight jobs, dump trucks, tow trucks, fire trucks, semis, military, pick-ups and heavy haulers spanning the 100 years of trucking history converge for this multi-day trucking extravaganza. See these meticulously maintained and restored beasts of burden and meet their owners in this colorful panarama of trucking. Macks, Autocars, Internationals, Whites, GMC's, American LaFrance and more are all here. These are the official video tapes of the American Truck Historical Society's annual conventions and antique truck shows. Each video contains over 45 minutes of exclusive footage, interviews and informed narration providing bumper-to-bumper coverage as hundred of the world's finest classic and antique trucks and their owners gather together to celebrate trucks and trucking history. This exciting story is presented by the multi-award winning television production team at WheelsTV, a bunch of car guys and gals who are truly Wild About Wheels.

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