Norma Rae Page #3

I'm working.

Working?

This is a drinking place.

Can I pour you out one?

I'll just have some plain seltzer.

You're just drinking club soda?

You'll feel a whole lot better

than I will tomorrow morning.

Reuben's trying to put

a union in the mill.

But there ain't never been one.

Then maybe its time has come.

There better be more than one of you,

'cause there's more than one of them.

There will be.

Those big companies get

everything they want.

You getting tired of it?

Oh, when I do, I just

wash it down with a beer.

We never really got

right down to talkin'

Hey, you know what?

This song on the jukebox

was on the radio the

night they called me up

and told me my husband

had been killed

in a fight in a beer joint.

I knew Buddy Wilson in high school.

You did?

Yeah. Goll!

He was drunk,

and he got in a fight,

and he broke a beer bottle.

And then this other guy,

he had a broken beer bottle, too.

I went down to the funeral parlor

because I wanted to see him.

This old guy says

I shouldn't see Buddy

because he wasn't "prepared" yet.

I don't know.

I really just wanted to see him,

and my daddy wouldn't let me.

Well, that were the end of Buddy.

Far as that goes.

I'm going to drive.

I'll drive.

No, I'll drive.

No, no, gang.

This way.

I'm coming home with two men.

That will surprise the

hell out of my daddy.

He sure keeps a close watch on you.

Yeah. We're close.

He used to drive 250 miles

to take me down to Crescent Beach.

He'd buy me a chicken dinner.

We'd sleep in the back of the car.

We'd wake up that morning

and walk out on the sand.

He bought me this ring.

Reuben, would you

pull the car over?

I think I'm going to be sick.

Hang on.

Easy, easy.

You OK?

Come on.

I'd help, Norma, but I

think I'd give it up, too.

That was real ladylike of me.

I did bedpans one summer

at Stuyvesant Hospital.

One of these days,

I'll get myself together.

Well, make it soon.

Because one of these days,

I'm going to start in on you.

Read this when you can.

Got it down to two syllables.

One's better.

Good morning. Good morning.

Read this when you

have a chance, please.

Good morning, Norma Rae.

Hey, Lucius.

Morning, Linette.

Linette?

Hey, Billy Jo.

What the hell is going

on around here?

I'm talking to you!

Fink.

Well, sh*t!

Nobody's talking to me.

Less talk, more work.

They're my friends.

I'm quitting.

You're speeding them up

so you can weed them out.

You knew all that.

Yeah. I was greedy, and I was dumb.

You can fire me.

We'll put you back

in the weaving room.

Your family's been with

this mill a long time.

Good morning!

Morning.

Hey.

Hey.

We're all ready.

All of you?

All three of us.

Well, then, everybody hop in.

Millie, you can climb in yourself.

Now, be careful. Don't fall down.

What's your name, big guy?

Craig.

Put your feet on the floor!

Bye!

Bye, Mama.

Bye, Grandma!

I want to sit up front.

Are we there yet?

No, you silly willy.

We just started off.

I thought we were

going to the lake.

I got to make a stop.

You should have done

that before we started.

This is Alice.

She's mine.

Like I always say,

the more the merrier.

OK, watch what you're doing now.

Next time, you get

up there yourself.

You're sure easy with your kids.

I yell at them.

I swat them.

You're a pretty woman.

I was good at 18, but things

have slipped and slid.

You look all right to me.

Keep the lights low, I'm all right.

I'll take you where it's dark.

I've been there.

I don't owe a nickel in this town.

I'll eat anything

put in front of me.

I can fix anything electrical.

I'm all right after my

first cup of coffee.

I want that bad, though.

I got me a new job

at the gas station.

I turn my paycheck

over every Friday,

and I come straight home from work,

and I stay there.

Me and Alice, we're alone.

You got your two kids.

You're alone.

If you could help me,

maybe I could help you.

It's been a long

time between offers.

Kiss me.

If that's all right,

then everything else will be.

By the authority vested in me,

by this sovereign state,

I pronounce you man and wife.

If you like, you may

kiss the bride.

Mother over here has a

little homemade wine for us.

I picked the berries myself.

Thank you.

To my wife Norma Rae.

And, uh...

I just hope I can keep up with her.

Roscoe doesn't like it,

but I'm going.

I'm not asking anybody. I'm going.

On October 8, 1970, my grandfather,

Isaac Abraham Warshovsky, age 87,

died in his sleep in New York City.

On the following Friday

morning, his funeral was held.

My mother and father attended,

my two uncles from

Brooklyn attended,

and my Aunt Minnie

came up from Florida.

Also present were 862 members

of the amalgamated Clothing Workers

and the Cloth, Hat, and Cap

Makers' Union of America.

Also members of his family.

In death, as in life,

they stood at his side.

They had fought battles with him,

had earned bread together,

and had broken it together.

When they spoke, they

spoke in one voice,

and they were heard.

And they were black,

and they were white.

They were Irish,

and they were Polish.

They were Catholic,

and they were Jews.

And they were one.

That's what a union is, one.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the textile industry,

in which you are

spending your lives,

and in which your children

and their children

will spend their lives,

is the only industry

in these United States

that is not unionized.

They are free to exploit you

and to take away what

is rightfully yours.

Your health, a decent wage,

a fit place to work.

I urge you to stop them

by coming over to room 31

at the Golden Cherry Motel

to pick up a union

card and sign it.

Yes, it comes from the Bible.

"According to the

tribes of your fathers,

"ye shall inherit."

But it comes from

Reuben Warshovsky,

"Not unless you make it happen."

Thank you.

Thank you, Reverend.

Appreciate it.

Everybody should have come.

Next time.

If I have to drag them.

Hey.

When are you going to join?

Who's got the time?

Make the time.

I need help.

I appreciate any help

you can give me.

Licking stamps, stuffing envelopes,

typing with two fingers, anything.

I'll show up.

I'm here.

I'm ready to inspect your plant.

The federal government,

in accordance with federal

court order 7778,

states the following, "The

union has the right to inspect

"every bulletin board in the

mills at least once a week

"to verify that its notices

are not being stripped off."

Do you have a trash can?

Inside.

Keep America beautiful.

Downstairs.

Thank you.

Morning.

Morning.

Am I moving too quick for you?

I did my running in the army.

I'm not in the army now, brother.

If you're out of shape,

I'll slow down.

Keep it to a basic saunter.

Good morning.

I'm Reuben Warshovsky of the

Textile Workers' Union.

What is your name, brother?

Buffum.

How long have you worked here?

Twelve years.

Do you like your job?

I'd like to keep it.

You're interfering with the work.

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