The Hand that Feeds

In New York City, undocumented workers are the backbone of industry and help the city stay alive. Yet those workers – who are deeply depended on by their employers – are treated as indentured servants, often making far less than minimum wage in dangerous conditions. THE HAND THAT FEEDS brings us to the front lines as about a dozen undocumented employees of a popular deli in NYC fight for basic workers’ rights, including fair scheduling, overtime pay, and competent wages. Following along with Mahoma Lopez, a brave deli worker who risks his home in the States to fight for his fellow workers, we get an in-depth look at how many of the people still striving for the American Dream are those who face losing America altogether. What seems like an impossible battle becomes a real possibility when labor lawyers and the likes of the Occupy Movement ally themselves with Lopez and his coworkers, giving them hope and direction. This documentary invites us along as deli workers decide to organize and fight for rights American workers fought for a century ago. The history of this great country is riddled with battles between the folks doing the work and those who wish to profit from it, and THE HAND THAT FEEDS reminds all of us that those battles continue today. (In English and Spanish with subtitles) – T.W.