BC Labour Heritage Centre Bulletin-June 2019

BC Labour Heritage Centre Bulletin-June 2019

British Columbia and the Winnipeg General Strike 1919:
“A duty to organized labour and workers throughout the whole dominion”

BC labour was eager to support the 30,000 workers who were on strike in Winnipeg in 1919. 
 
Rod Mickleburgh has written about the events in Winnipeg, and the lesser-known sympathy strikes that took place in BC: Vancouver, Victoria, Prince Rupert, New Westminster, Prince George and the Kootenays are recorded as participating.

BC historian Elaine Bernard’s research has brought to prominence the role of telephone operators in the 1919 strike in BC, a piece of labour folklore she referred to as “the strike where the men sold out the women”. Outside of Vancouver, a precursor to the sympathy strikes was the landmark Victoria teachers’ strike of 1919, and Ben Isitt writes about Victoria labour’s struggle to find solidarity. The BC Labour Heritage Centre has published original research on the sympathy strike which took place in Prince Rupert in 1919.

More BC Labour Heritage Centre News

On June 1, 2019 we joined the BC Federation of Labour Young Workers Committee to unveil a plaque recognizing the creation of Grant’s Law in BC, in response to the death of 24-year old Grant De Patie in 2005 while working alone at a gas station. Grant’s father, Doug De Patie delivered a passionate speech on the need to fight every day for workplace safety.

By the end of June we will have completed our commitment to provide a free copy of “On the Line: A History of the British Columbia Labour Movement” to every secondary public school library in BC.  This has been possible with proceeds from the sale of On the Line in the year since its publication. To complement the book, our Curriculum Project has produced classroom-ready, teacher-friendly lessons and unit plans that can be accessed through our website.

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDARS:

• June 6, 2019, Book Launch with the Graphic History Collective  BCGEU Area Office, 2920 Virtual Way, Vancouver, 6:30 pm
• June 8, 2019, Celebration of Life for Art Kube, 1:30 pm, IUOE Hall, 4333 Ledger, Burnaby
• June 17, 2019, 61st anniversary of the collapse of the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, 1 pm
• June 18, 2019, Battle of Ballantyne Pier annual memorial, New Brighton Park, Vancouver, 11 am.
• June 21-23, 2019 Miner’s Memorial Weekend, Cumberland

Thursday, October 3, Tribute Dinner for Ken Novakowski. Riverway Golf Course, 5 pm.  Details to follow.