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Sam Kagel

Thank you for your interest in our work on Sam Kagel. We have completed the documentary that illuminates the art of arbitration in 20th century America and presents a personal portrait of the man who had such a profound effect on it.

Sam and Harry

We are excited to announce a new presentation bringing Harry Bridges and the "Father of American Arbitration" Sam Kagel together. For more information click here.

The Documentary

The heart of the film is Sam himself, who describes his life’s work in his own inimitable style. Sam speaks with a directness and clarity that makes understanding even the most complex issues easy and gives the listener the human side of historic events. For example, he remembers getting Harry Bridges and Jimmy Hoffa down on their knees in a San Francisco hotel room to draw up a plan of the docks on big sheets of butcher paper. The drawing became the basis of an agreement between the ILWU and the Teamsters, something months of negotiations had failed to produce. From the street battles of 1934 to the sophisticated contract negotiations for NFL stars, Sam Kagel's work as an arbitrator has plaed a vital role in keeping America at work.

The film features interviews with people who knew Sam well and included their memories of him in the film, which adds a richness to our portrait of this extraordinary man. Photographs, newspaper headlines, personal letters, music and artifacts are used to highlight the stories.

It is your generous contributions that make projects such as these possible. Any financial support you can give us to help further support these efforts will be greatly appreciated. For information on how you can contribute to the Project go to the Get Involved page. Thank You.

 

DVD "To Make a Long Story Short: The Life and Times of Sam Kagel." cover $20.00
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