Working at Inglis
The Life and Death of a Canadian Factory
by David Sobel & Susan Meurer
This book covers 108 years of labour history at the John Inglis factory in Toronto's west end. For years, the Inglis plant was at the bedrock of Canada's manufacturing economy until it was finally closed in 1989. The authors present a critical narrative that looks at union struggles to organize the plant, discusses the gendered segregation of work during WWII, and analyses the importance of Free Trade to the plant's closure. The book includes over 150 archival and contemporary photographs, drawings, and other visual materials.
close this panel"...tells the bittersweet story behind the rise and fall of one of this city's oldest companies."
"[The authors] have gone well beyond mere statistics with this fascinating account.
Is an evocatively written, meticulously researched book.
More than just a standard history text coldly detailing the rise and fall of an industry.
The book, aided by a wealth of pictures of the last days of the plant's operation, touches on virtually all aspects of Inglis's storied life.
A must-read for anyone interested in one of the most important chapters in Canada's manufacturing economy - brimming with life from start to finish."
