may 15, 1919 - Winnipeg General Strike (Economic)
Description:
Who:
WW1 veterans came back to no available jobs, or very low paying ones. One Big Union (OBU) was formed to represent workers. Approximately 30 000 people of the working class went on strike.
What:
A walkout in a general strike occurred. It spread from industry to industry. Mail delivery, streetcar and taxi service, newspaper, garbage collection, telephone service, gasoline pumps, and milk delivery were stopped. Restaurants and retail stores closed. Strike leaders were arrested and strikers born if foreign countries were threatened to be deported.
Where:
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Why:
Employers were more supported compared to workers. The unions demanded higher wages, better working conditions, and the right to collective bargaining. Employers refused to negotiate with the unions, so a strike occurred.
How:
The workers formed a Central Strike Committee to take charge of the strike. The general strike was called by the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council after negotiations were broken between the management and labour in the building and metal trades.
The general strike was a turning point because it was the largest strike in Canada. The relationships between the unions and the government became very difficult because of this. Most of the strike leaders created their own political parties to support workers’ rights. People were able to create change because of the growing division between the rich and poor in Canada.
Added to timeline:
The Roaring, Dirty Decades of the 20th Century
Date:
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