Documentary backdrop image for The Metal Foundry (1984)

Documentary backdrop image for The Metal Foundry (1984)

198418 minPG-13doc-short

The Metal Foundry

198418 minPG-13doc-short

Workers at a metal foundry in Lae take over operations after the owner returns to Australia, marking a new cooperative-management effort in Papua New Guinea.

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Workers at a metal foundry in Lae take over operations after the owner returns to Australia, marking a new cooperative-management effort in Papua New Guinea.

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Bike Johnstonedirector

Synopsis

In Lae, Papua New Guinea, workers at a small metal foundry take control after the owner returns to Australia. With assistance from the provincial government, they implement a cooperative management model. This shift marks a new approach to labor and ownership in the region. The 18-minute documentary captures the challenges and successes of this worker-led initiative, reflecting the changing dynamics in local industry during the mid-1980s.

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