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Title MIKE Genre Drama Screenplay by Andre Correa Tagline His greatest strength was not knowing how to quit. Logline A rebellious steelworker from Cicero finds a revolutionary way to expose his employer's illegal practices during the 1970's Chicago labor movement. Summary During the 1970's labor movement, two distinct groups - the working man and the powerful steel industry - fight for dominance. When labor loses the right to strike, an outspoken shop steward from Cicero, MIKE LAVELLE, attempts to publish a series of exposés revealing his employer's illegal practices, but when the newspaper goes bankrupt, and Mike loses his work, Chicago radio personality, STUDS TERKEL shows him a revolutionary way to give voice to the voiceless. When Mike turns down Studs' offer and decides to fight his employer alone, he finds himself in a bitter battle with MORGAN LYNCH, a Harvard-educated attorney, hell bent on crippling labors unions and forever diminishing workers' rights in America. Synopsis During the 1970's labor movement, the powerful steel industry actively seeks ways to degrade the rights of the working man in America. MIKE LAVELLE, an outspoken steelworker from Cicero, writes a series of revealing articles for a local newspaper in hopes of exposing his employer's illegal practices. When the paper becomes insolvent, and Mike's work is shelved, local radio personality, STUDS TERKEL, recovers some of Mike's articles. Impressed by his work, Studs tracks Mike down and give him the bad news. Realizing Mike is no ordinary steel worker, Studs offers to work with him and help expose his employer. Mike refuses. Unable to bring light to the major violations at his mill, Mike uses his position as a shop steward to continue to fight his employer. Mike builds an impeccable track record of winning labor cases until he finds himself facing MORGAN LYNCH, a Harvard-educated attorney hell bent on union busting. Ignoring the advice of his superiors, Mike continues to fight the "powers that be" his own way until he alienates enough people and ends up losing his title of shop steward. Mentally and physically beaten, Mike seeks out Studs' help. Together, Mike and Studs are able to get one of Mike's articles published and for the first time, put real pressure on Mike's employer. Due to his newly won popularity, Mike is asked to lead the union's case once again. Mike goes toe to toe with Lynch in an arbitration hearing, where Lynch masterfully destroys Mike's case. Staring down the abyss of a brutal defeat, Mike desperately cross-examines Lynch's last witness. Having learned that his previous approached caused the alienation of his supporters, Mike opens up to Lynch's witness and is able to get him to confess to collaborating with Mike's employer to defraud the labor union. With Lynch defeated and the union vindicated, Mike learns that his victory comes at a high personal cost. Weeks later, Studs finds Mike in a cemetery, mourning a fallen co-worker. Studs tells Mike that he has a job offer at The Chicago Tribune. Mike refuses once again , but Studs is able to convince him to decline the job offer in person. The next day at the Tribune, Mike meets all the people who have read his article and have come to the Tribune in hopes that he would write their stories. After seeing them, Mike takes the job and becomes the first nationally syndicated writer to be the voice of the working man in The United States.
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