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Immediate causes of the Winnipeg general strike
Immediate causes of the Winnipeg general strike
Immediate causes of the Winnipeg general strike
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Throughout the history of Canadian labour movement, the government played critical role in defining workers’ rights and protecting the power of employers. Using footage and stills photographs, the short movie “As friend and foe” document labour’s early history, since 1980, and the story of the government as a friend and foe of Canadian workforce. It is a brief look into Canadian federal government relationship with workers. The film ends by observing that since 1975, federal and provincial governments (liberal and conservative) had ordered striking workers back to work on numerous occasions. Most recently, Ontario liberal government had issued back to work order to end college faculty strike. In June 2011, Steven Harper government passed back-to-work …show more content…
legislation to end dispute between the Canadian Union of postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post Corporation. The order was seen as a violation of the union’s rights to freedom of association and expression. Rapid industrialization late 1980s and early 1900s demanded abundant of labour force. Immigrants brought from eastern and western Europe to fill opened jobs in labour-intensive industries. They worked under miserable conditions, men and children worked for at least 12-hour a day. It did not last too long before workers started complaining about their working conditions and realized the need for change, through collective actions. As such, industrial unionism was born across the country. In early 1900s, the only power the workers have is their unity, there was no laws recognizes union or protecting union memberships. The government did not support the organizing of workers, on the contrary they supported employers to resist union by supplementing company strike breakers by government troops. The government of Canada realized the need for more workforce to fuel the labour market and at the same time, the power of workers is increasing that need to be addressed.
In response to this need, the Canadian government established the first Labour Department in 1990, and William Lyon Mackenzie King, appointed the first labour minister. King has his own philosophy, he believes that workers do not need unions, rather they need government to offer them more by acting as referee in labour disputes. However, in his first mediation between workers and Grand Trunk Pacific, he supported the employer, fired 250 strikers, and cancel all pension …show more content…
benefits. I think the main turning point of Canadian labour movement is the period after World War I.
Canadian soldiers who came back from war found that jobs are scarce and prices hikes left wages far behind. Inspired by the success of Russian Revolution and the rising in industrial unionism fueled labour unrest in the country. The Winnipeg General Strike in 1919, is the most famous and influential strikes in Canadian labour movement history. The aggressive and militarized response of the Canadian government was justified by the fear of a start of Bolshevik revolution in Winnipeg.
During 1920s, King back to the scene as Prime Minister, industries were booming across the country, however, the boom short lived. In 1929, Economic Depression erupted after the crash in stock market. Thousands of people lost jobs, unemployment rate skyrocket. As depression eased, the militancy of workers increased. In 1937, workers won their first union recognition by General Motors, the auto workers in Oshawa. King’s government began promoting labour management cooperation committee, and produced films supporting this
policy. During World War II, union membership increased dramatically. Large number of women began working in war industry plants adding greater force to the labour movement. In 1943, strikes broke out almost over issues of union recognition. Workers recorded another win, when the government passed Privy Council order 1003 setting up a scheme under which union recognition and collective bargaining rights were acknowledge. This consider a milestone victory by Canadian workers over 50 years of struggle. Since then, union membership grew significantly. In 1970s workers in both the federal and provincial public sector had achieved collective bargaining agreement. Employment relationship entered new era as government tested its power as employer as well as a legislator. The movie shows the changes of jobs from being labour-intensive to automated machines that operate by one person or automatically. Close watch of the pictures that come through the movie, we can observe the introduction of vehicles, electricity and railways. And the development of labour unions had entered every industry after WWII. This is an interesting short movie shed the light on important stages of the development of Canadian labour union. The end of the movie remind us that what the government gives, it can also take away.
...rial unionists in Winnipeg influenced to strike? Well, the Canadian government dove into the Great War the moment England asked for their help. Canada’s, “help,” also included taking out many farmers and privately-owned businesses. Also, the Communist party gained support by the Canadian government after the October Revolution in Russia. Too late did the Canadian government realize the strength of Communism. Then, to top it all off, by fully investing industries in the war the government set itself up to fall economically the moment the war ended. While the industries did not see this, the workers did. These same workers took the initiative to take power away from the rich, and give it back to the Unions. These revolutionary industrial unionists, through one strike in one city, were able to change industries throughout Canada for decades after they went on strike.
Canadians were frustrating, wonderful, and hard. Soldiers returning from the war expected jobs, but were faced with unemployment, inflation and strikes. Inflation had doubled the cost of living where wages had not and those fortunate to be employed still faced immense financial difficulty. Many people joined unions for better pay and working conditions, 1919 saw the most strikes at a staggering three hundred and six, people were angry and discontented. The 1920s were a time of crime corruption and extreme poverty, yet by mid era difficult conditions began to improve. Foreign investors gained confidence in Canada and as a result new industries were developed, The twenties really did 'roar' and with this boom of change Canada underwent the transformation that was the gateway to the future.
Topic and Specific Case: The topic that I have chosen is the impact that the shift to neoliberal government policies has had on workers in Canada. I have chosen to explore this topic through looking at the restructuring of unemployment insurance in the 1990’s neoliberal era when it came to be called employment insurance (McBride, 2005, pg. 90).
Because of Canada’s boost in the industrial economy and its status in World War II, job options were abundant. By 1942 there was a full employment as hundreds and thousands of Canadian men and women found work in war industries.
In 1794 organized labor unions were formed to protect workers from poor working conditions and low wages. The Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor were formed in the late 1800’s. (Difference Between Knights of Labor and AFL). Both the Knights of Labor and The American Federation of Labor original goals were to improve working conditions for employees. Although the unions started out separately, during hard times and low membership they had to combine worker unions to regain their strength.
The conflict over living conditions in Canada has been ongoing. Perhaps Canada’s most forceful movement towards change was the Winnipeg General Strike, during the summer of 1919. The strike was caused by the working class’ desire to rise out of poverty. The government hastily tried to suppress the strike by deporting the strike leaders, using gunfire to disperse crowds, and eventually ‘punishing’ the people by dismissing them from their jobs. The Winnipeg General Strike was ultimately detrimental to the wellbeing of working class Winnipeggers due to the government’s infringement of democratic ideals.
The confederation of Canada, a process which took over a century long, with many notable events and people who were involved in forming what we know as Canada today. The confederation all started in 1763, with The Royal Proclamation. Britain decided that pacifying First nation was the best alternative to a costlier war. This proclamation created a boundary between the First Nations and the British Colonies. In the next 50 years or so, the Quebec Act, which revoked the Royal Proclamation, and Treaty of Paris, which recognized British North America to independently exist, and the Constitutional Act, happened. Although these were major events in Canada’s history, The War of 1812, was one of the most notable events that lead to Canada’s Confederation.
The Coal Strike of 1902 occurred as a result of many problems that were faced by miners. At the time of the coal strike there were 150,000 miners working in the mines (Grossman) Due to the depression of 1893, miners had their wages cut and were living in poverty (Grossman). Many miners were dissatisfied and looked to the United Mine Workers for support in raising their standard of living. This proved difficult since employers refused to recognize labor unions for fear of giving them significant control over the industry. In most instances of employee demands before 1902, employers would use government troops or hire immigrants to take the jobs of the strikers (David Kennedy).
" While 8 hour day strike movement was generally peaceful, there was some acts of violence that set the labor movement back. The McCormick Harvester Company in Chicago learned ahead of time of a planned strike and so locked out all its employees who held union cards. Because of this fights broke out and police opened fire on the union members killing four of them. A public rally to protest these killings at Haymarket Square drew a large crowd. When a bomb went off, killing seven police officers and wounding fifty more, the police began to fire into the crowd and several more people were killed and about two-hundred wounded.
William Lyon Mackenzie King was one of the greatest prime ministers in Canada, although he did not give a fascinating speech or had an exciting image and supported few radical policies . King’s opinions were very strong and would not be changed no matter what. No one could influence King and this was shown through his leadership during the Great Depression and the election in 1930.
Nationalism is a political, economic and social ideology, doctrine and practice describing the “advocacy of or support for the interests of one’s own nation”, especially above the interests of other outside nations, individuals, and regions (“Nationalism”). It is a conscious state of mind where individuals believe their duty and loyalty is to the nation-state. It believes that a nation is the most crucial aspect for human social life because it gives a nation a sense of unity by promoting the shared interests and identities of the individuals such as language, race, religion etc. (“Nationalism”). Therefore, the aim of nationalism is to preserve and promote the nation’s culture as opposed to other cultures. Politically, the goal is gaining and
To begin, we need to look towards the first recorded instance of a labor union in the United States, a union known as the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (http://www.lovkoandking.com/federal-society-of-journeymen-cordwainers---commonwealth-v-pullis.html). In 1794, a group of cordwainers, shoemakers, in Philadelphia banded together to form the United States’ first form of organized labor union through a series of strikes....
The Winnipeg General Strike The year of 1919 has been one of the most influential years of strikes
The Canadian government’s move toward globalization is creating a level playing field for the Canadian economy and the culture by closing the gap of trade barriers and opening up the market, thereby making Canada a more industrialized and multicultural society. Globalization, the term is defined as the interactions among people of different nations through international trade and communication integration. This approach is unlocking the nationalistic perspectives to broader outlook, thus encouraging multiculturalism as well as linking ties among the nations.
After 1 hour from the start, 20 000 members of 94 unions were off the job, and finally, the number of strikers had risen to 30 000. The strike had a big effect on Canada’s economic and social situation. For example, stopped and closed factories, stores and city streetcars. In the social situation, the economic system didn't work because they stopped their work. Their employer probably had trouble with money and other trouble.