It's Worker's Day, so I was thinking about unions, and specifically how unions are represented in media. It's no secret that corporations don't like unions, and that includes media corporations, so even if progressive messaging appears in TV shows, explicitly pro-union messages are much rarer.
Most of the examples of pro-union episodes I can think of are quite old, like The Simpsons or Star Trek: Deep Space 9, which were great episodes by the way. Does anyone have any other notable examples? And any from more recent shows?
by AporiaParadox
12 Comments
There is a whole season of Superstore about the workers trying to form a union and the company fucking with them for it.
_Krusty Krab is unfair!_
_Mr. Krabs is in there!_
_Standing at the concession!_
_Plotting his oppression!_
No bagel, no bagel, no bagel, no bagel, YAH!
It’s a bit different than what you’re asking, but there’s an episode of Bob’s Burgers that deals with renters unions: “*The Oeder Games*”. Well, “deals with” is a bit much to say, but the episode does feature a renter’s union in its plot.
Basically, the rent in town has gone up, so collectively all of the families in town demand the prices go down or they’ll strike on paying rent. In return, the rich landowner says that he’ll give free rent to any *one* family so long as they don’t all collectively strike. The town jumps at this opportunity, and abandon the union for personal gain. Who’d pass up free rent, after all?
The episode doesn’t focus a *ton* on the striking, but does ultimately end with the idea that joining together is a good thing, after Bob talks some sense back into everyone.
There was just an episode on Running Point (came out last week on Netflix) where the dancers went on strike because they were paid like shit.
I think it’s funny that an episode with Homer’s Ayn-Randish nemesis (Grimes) written by a Libertarian is one of the most convincing cases for worker’s solidarity
Star Trek Deep space Nine season 4 episode 15 Bar Association
Well that’s spooky. I was just thinking about this episode like half an hour ago.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a workers union represented in a bad way.
For All Mankind is doing a story arc about that right now. Gilded Age had an episode about a strike that the main character was involved with on management side. I think that one was based on a real historical strike.
[Kenneth led a strike on 30 Rock after seeing Jack’s bonus](https://youtu.be/VoFGBvYbf-w?is=yGr8qTmJR6lHSB9b)
[Who’s the Boss (1984) S04E19 “Housekeepers Unite: When other housekeepers of the neighborhood find out how much Tony is earning, they go on a strike until they are given a higher salary. Oddly, Angela encourages Tony to join them, until she learns the downsides about this.](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0747757/)