"The old American dream just seems to be gone," says Walt Hill, the contract coordinator for Local 1196 in the decaying steel town of Brackenridge, Pennsylvania. In March of 2021, the union members of United Steelworkers Local 1196 struck, citing unfair labor practices on behalf of Allegheny Technologies (ATI). From late night conversations on the picket lines, to fiery debates at the union hall, to growing anxiety brewing in the homes of the members, LOCAL 1196: A STEELWORKERS STRIKE takes viewers on the ground during a strike. Set against the backdrop of a town struggling with poverty and a nation divided politically, the hour-long film follows the striking steelworkers, who had long relied on ATI for a reliable source of employment, often referring their own children for work there. In recent decades, the rise of automation and outsourced labor has chipped away at their job security. Feeling left behind by both the company that once effectively supported their town and politicians they perceive to be more focused on national election battles than the livelihood of frontline workers, the steelworkers feel pushed to a work stoppage. As days on strike turn to weeks, and weeks to months, union leaders realize they're playing with a short stack. Will they be able to stick together? LOCAL 1196: A STEELWORKERS STRIKE gives voice to strikers increasingly at risk of lost jobs, lost healthcare, and lost homes. Despite that risk, they continue to demand fair contracts, pay, and access to work for members and nonmembers alike, calling themselves the "last line of defense" for future steelworkers.