American Factory (Netflix)

[Meredith Quill]

In post-industrial Ohio, a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.

[greekmom]

I saw this documentary last night and OMG it was fascinating!

Some things that stayed with me:

·         The expectations that Fuyao brought to Ohio.  These people were so hopeful that this was the replacement to their Ford jobs and the realization hit when the pay and conditions didn’t match what they remembered in the past.

·         The one sad thing that bothered me a lot was the comments from the top down the Chinese had of the Americans.  You hear “lazy”, “fat fingers”, “We are better than them”, to the Chairman commenting in Chinese that an automated robotic will replace 4 workers in the future.  There was a lot through the film. 

·         Could have been editing but I didn’t get this from the Americans side. There weren’t any derogatory about the Chinese.  The most you heard was about why were the pro-Fuyao videos from China being shown on the tv’s, to when they walked into the plant it was like being in China and the American’s were referred as foreigners. 

·         I was very appalled at the American who was a delegate over in China and spoke fluent Chinese and how he basically agreed with the Chinese on how American’s are lazy, talk to much and wish he could “duct tape their mouths”

·         Wong was my favourite storyline.  I loved the fact that he sympathized with the Americans to the point he understood these people were working 2 jobs and even struck up a close friendship with the older American gentleman.  I didn’t understand on how he was able to afford a home and such in the States with 14$/hour while the Americans couldn’t even afford an apartment. Unless he had a foreman job.

·         My least favourite was the woman who sacrificed her livelihood for joining the Union and being pro Union.  I understand the need for a union, but I felt that she could have at least tried to work with the company and management first to see if they can improve conditions before immediately turning to a Norma Rae. (commenting just on the storyline that I saw, not on unions in general).

·         The sad fact that Chairman fired everyone who was pro union.  That was wrong.

·         The amount of money ($1million) that Fuyao spent to shut down the union which could have been better spent to appease the employees but making the work culture better, increase wages and work conditions.  I don’t think the Chinese ever really understood that there are laws in place in the States that they need to follow regarding work conditions, hours, pay and overtime.

·         There was a lot of US and THEM from both sides – this was a mistake that was made by Fuyao from day 1.  Instead of integrating both cultures and encouraging mixtures at all levels – they basically filled management positions with the Chinese after a year. 

I know I have more, but this is off the top of my head. 

[BuckeyeLou]

I thought it was interesting how Different the 2 cultures are.  Americans are used to speaking their mind & having their own opinions, whereas the Chinese are used to a regimented society and being told what to think & what to do.  There just seemed to be no 'meeting in the middle" with these 2 groups.  I don't think the Chinese Chairman guy made any attempt to understand the Americans, he just wanted things done His way & for him to make a profit.  I also enjoyed the short interview at the end with Barack & Michelle Obama & the producers of this film.

[Primetimer]

Nice review from our own Aaron Barnhart:

https://www.primetimer.com/barnhart/american-factory

[nokat]

I was looking through the new threads list and came across this. I'm watching it now. Both heartwarming (the chinese and american employees bonding) and tragic.

I think of this as similar to what the US does to other countries. Cheap labor, and no consideration about toxic waste. A lot of derogatory things said about Americans is often true. That one scene when they were in China, with the workers, it was very military. The guy who tried to implement it in the US was not at all successful.

A very well done and interesting documentary.

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by nokat
added thoughts

[greekmom]

On 9/2/2019 at 9:29 PM, BuckeyeLou said:

 I don't think the Chinese Chairman guy made any attempt to understand the Americans, he just wanted things done His way & for him to make a profit.  I also enjoyed the short interview at the end with Barack & Michelle Obama & the producers of this film.

Exactly.  It was really evident when he came first to the factory and wanted the garage door on the other side, the smoke alarm placed elsewhere and no bandstand covering because "the weather in October will be just like today".  

[nokat]

46 minutes ago, greekmom said:

Exactly.  It was really evident when he came first to the factory and wanted the garage door on the other side, the smoke alarm placed elsewhere and no bandstand covering because "the weather in October will be just like today".

I think he mentioned feng shui, as in the door was opening in the wrong direction. Very cultural.

(Also heard the commentary about "that'll cost $35,000")

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by nokat

[Fake Jan Brady]

The introduction of the robots at the end was totally Skynet.

[Bastet]

The decimation of union jobs was the decimation of the middle class in America, so this was an interesting examination of how bringing jobs back to a factory town is not the same as bring union jobs back.

I was already throwing virtual things at the TV during the opening town hall meeting when someone asked if the jobs would be union and the company rep said no, but they understand they need to do right by their workers.  Yeah.  Because companies are so compassionate and humane when left to their own devices. 

Then came the cut his mic gestures and "Who the fuck does he think he is?" pandering when Sherrod Brown spoke on behalf of his constituents, not on behalf of billionaires looking to make more money, in support of recognizing a vote to unionize.

And then all the union busting.  Ugh, my blood pressure.  I mean, I know about all these tactics and lies, but seeing it is infuriating. 

The culture clash was interesting -- "everybody gets upset in their own language" when things go wrong.  The American workers being referred to as foreigners and feeling like they'd left America when they stepped inside the plant made for strange environment.  If they hadn't had their wages slashed in half, they might not have cared so much about little things like doors moved due to superstition.

I liked hearing from the Chinese workers who'd been given a life they'd have never otherwise had back home because of this job, and how they were trying to adjust in the U.S., too.  But the Chinese managers who wanted to ignore labor and environmental laws because they don't exist in China were driving me nuts.  And I wanted to punch through the screen that asshole who was bragging about his spies who tell him who the union activists are so he can set them up to be fired.

It was interesting to hear the chairman second-guess himself and start to think about the negative impact he's had on the world, and then say he only thinks these thoughts when he's unhappy.  I guess he was happy the day he casually strolled through the factory and listened to how many workers could be replaced by machines.

I loved the discrepancy between the enthusiasm at the UAW meeting and the GTFO faces at the workplace meeting where they were told they were getting $2/hr raises.

The ending was sad in its honesty, that "those days are over"; these folks are never going to make the kind of money they used to make, and automation means a majority of them are going to lose their jobs entirely.

[greekmom]

On 9/25/2019 at 3:02 PM, Bastet said:

Then came the cut his mic gestures and "Who the fuck does he think he is?" pandering when Sherrod Brown spoke on behalf of his constituents, not on behalf of billionaires looking to make more money, in support of recognizing a vote to unionize.

One part that I lol'd at the tv was the same dude who did the cut the mic gestures was eventually cut by the company and replaced by a Chinese-American.  Later on we see him driving and passing the company and complaining.