A little more ahead we arrive at the point of confrontation between used masters and. After a collapse in the mine, Maheu receives a fine with the allegation by that it did not take the due precautions, placing sustentations throughout the place. The revolt increases when the miners are informed that the value that they receive for the stand of coal will go to suffer a reduction. The owners of the mine try to brighten up the fall of the profits sacrificing the wages of the laborers. The Etienne personage starts to consider for the workers the creation of a box of reserve so that in a possible strike they could resist more time. The negotiations if initiate. A quarrel that if of the one at this moment is around that ideological way to follow.
Etienne defends the marxist way, of organization of the proletariat against the exploration suffered ahead from the bourgeois ones. One another personage, Souvarine, will make the counterpoint defending the way of the anarchy, through the fight and of the spilling of inevitable blood, fruit of the revolt of the people against the oppressing state. Interesting to perceive that in the negotiation, then at the beginning of the strike, a game of cunnings of both is uncurled the sides. The strikers if join to break equipment and to hinder that treasonous they pierce the movement (what many times happen exactly thus). The representatives of the mine try to divide the strikers.
For this, valley to consider the promotion of some leaders of the laborers and to contract workers of another place. By the way, another important point that the film shows indirectly is the beginning of a present nationalistic feeling between these Frenchmen. The arrival of Belgian workers will go to provoke the anger of the miners, not only for the movement in addition striker, but also for not supporting the idea to lose its jobs for people of another one country.