On Behalf of... The Union and Its Members

In February 1973, laborers from the Dutch steel company Royal Hoogovens decided to go on strike. They wanted to ensure a fairer distribution of money and responsibility. The mainly male workers fought with conviction for solidarity and against big business. Pieter Verhoeff and his camera crew set themselves up from day one in the factory to document the course of events. Verhoeff soaks up the atmosphere in the smoky canteen, shows us half-empty factories, witnesses heated meetings and talks with the management, striking workers, the union leader and those willing to work. Frustrated employees speak candidly about their motives. During the two weeks of the strike, everyone remains remarkably civilized; vandalism and violence are nowhere to be seen in 1973. The camera crew moves about unhindered, and Verhoeff gains easy access to the higher echelons where overwhelmed managers willingly have their say. Filmed over the course of those 15 exciting strike days, reveals a country that would rapidly change in the decades to come.