On April 27, the Policy and Administration Graduate Council (PAGC) will host a screening of “Stitched Together: Workers, Students, and the Movement for Alta Gracia.” Filmmaker Will Delphia, a Hampshire College student, will lead a Q&A session immediately afterward. PAGC will provide free pizza.
Alta Gracia is a unique factory in the Dominican Republic where workers participate in a strong and independent union, receive a living wage of more than three times the local minimum wage, and are afforded dignity and respect on the job. These workers cut and sew fabric into T-shirts, hoodies and other apparel destined for universities and colleges. Alta Gracia is the exception to the norm of unsafe working conditions, poverty wages and repressive work environments at many other garment factories.
The story of Alta Gracia is that of a hard-won victory. The brick-and-mortar factory and many of the workers at Alta Gracia were once a part of another firm called BJ&B, which produced clothing for Nike and other brands. After a long battle, workers won a collective bargaining agreement with the factory owners at BJ&B, only to face mass layoffs and eventually a factory closure. “Stitched Together” explains how workers, conscientious investors and student activists collaborated to bring life to this new and important project.
Delphia, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, is a senior at Hampshire College. This film was independently produced as his senior thesis.
April 27, Gordon Hall 304, noon.
Download a poster for this event.