A gripping, vérité-style documentary that follows a group of Amazon workers in Staten Island as they defy one of the world’s most powerful corporations to form the first-ever union at a U.S. Amazon warehouse. Led by former employee Chris Smalls, who was fired after organizing for COVID safety, the group launches a scrappy, underdog campaign without backing from any major union. They hold BBQs in the parking lot, build trust among exhausted coworkers, and use bold, culturally savvy tactics to beat Amazon’s multi-million-dollar anti-union machine—culminating in a stunning April 2022 election victory at the JFK8 warehouse.

The film captures the emotional toll of organizing, the role of youth and working-class leadership, and the real-life tension between solidarity and burnout. It also shows the genius of their grassroots strategy: speaking to workers in multiple languages, campaigning in break rooms and bus stops, and staying rooted in the community. Despite the win, Amazon has refused to bargain a contract, instead dragging the union through endless legal appeals.

Since then, the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) has faced growing internal tension. Members frustrated with slow progress and limited transparency voted Chris Smalls out of leadership, and the union is now shifting strategy: partnering with the Teamsters to build stronger national infrastructure and push forward bargaining demands. Though JFK8 remains the only U.S. warehouse with a recognized union, Amazon is unionized in several countries, including Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, where strikes and contract negotiations are more common due to stronger labor laws. U.S. organizers are watching these international campaigns closely as inspiration and leverage.

Union is more than a story of one campaign—it’s a frontline account of modern labor resistance. It shows the challenges of building power from the bottom up, the consequences of victory without institutional support, and the resilience of workers demanding dignity in a rigged system.

Appropriate for older teens and adults. The film includes emotionally intense organizing scenes and employer retaliation but no graphic content. A powerful watch for understanding labor, power, and people’s organizing.