Cominco, the world's largest lead-zinc smelter, is struggling to come to grips with a new breed of young, outspoken and sometimes hostile workers. This documentary examines the changing relations between labour and management in the long-established company town of Trail, where 20th-century technology often clashes with 19th-century attitudes. Both the company and the unions are encountering problems as they seek to cope with the demands of today's workers.