Japan Inc : Lessons for North America?

The 20th century has seen the creation of colossal wealth and exploding economies. But the days of industry providing mass employment are over. In the global economy, human resources are being replaced more and more by technology. We are moving from a mass labour force to an elite corps concentrated in the knowledge sector. Will this change result in a sort of economic apartheid in which a third of humanity is made redundant? Will this revolution mean the end of work as we know it? For Man Must Work raises crucial questions and suggests rethinking the future. Focusing on situations in Canada, France and Mexico, the film shows how living and working conditions are deteriorating for many people. Besides personal stories, we also hear from experts such as Vivianne Forrester, author of The Economic Horror; Jeremy Rifkin, American economist and author of The End of Work; sociologist Ricardo Petrella; Ignacio Ramonet, editor-in-chief of Le Monde diplomatique; and Jacques Attali, author of Dictionary of the 21st Century and former president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. They have no illusions--they think the 21st century is getting off to a very bad start. Some subtitles.

North China Factory gives the audience a chance to see a factory community in China where over six thousand workers process, spin and weave raw cotton into ninety million yards of high-quality cloth per year. Also seen are the workers' residential, social, recreational and educational facilities, all of which are located on factory property. Highlights of the film are the retirement and wedding ceremonies, in which factory management plays a major part. The film is an engrossing study of a lifestyle that is very different from that of the Western world.

A look at the problematic relationship of Canadian unions and the New Democratic Party on the eve of the 1980s, as the Socialist International meets in Vancouver. This triggers a flashback to the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, and the birth of both modern trade unions and democratic socialism. The influence of British, American and European immigration, of American trade unions, World War 1 and other events provide a turbulent and fascinating backdrop to the evolution of the Canadian labour-socialist alliance. Part 1.