I compagni

The film opens with a scene showing workers of all ages, including young teenager Omero, rising at 5:30 in the morning before heading to a textile factory where they work until 8:30 in the evening. A labor activist, Professor Sinigaglia, played by Marcello Mastroianni, becomes involved with a group of textile factory workers who go on strike after a hand of a drowsy worker is mangled by a machine. The workers, led by Raoul, played by Renato Salvatori, form an ad hoc committee and speak to management, but their request is ignored and they only receive admonishments. Sinigaglia persuades the workers to escalate their struggle by not coming to work at all and going on strike instead.