Canada After the War

Canada After the Canada After the WarWar

What we will learn today:What we will learn today:

• Situation in Canada after WW1 Situation in Canada after WW1

• Relationship between Situation in Relationship between Situation in Canada & the Labour movement Canada & the Labour movement – ““One Big UnionOne Big Union””, , ““Winnipeg General Winnipeg General

StrikeStrike””

Key WordsKey Words

• Collective BargainingCollective Bargaining• One Big Union (OBU)One Big Union (OBU)• General StrikeGeneral Strike• Winnipeg General StrikeWinnipeg General Strike• Citizens Committee of One ThousandCitizens Committee of One Thousand• Bloody SaturdayBloody Saturday

Areas of ChangeAreas of ChangePre (Before) WW1Pre (Before) WW1 During WW1During WW1 Post (After) WW1Post (After) WW1

WomenWomen’’s s Movement & The Movement & The Role of WomenRole of Women

EconomyEconomy

Labour Unions / Labour Unions / Wages / Working Wages / Working

ConditionsConditions

Canadian Canadian AutonomyAutonomy

Things to think about when brainstorming Things to think about when brainstorming the situation in Canadathe situation in Canada

– Who is in CanadaWho is in Canada– Available JobsAvailable Jobs– Wages & rights of workersWages & rights of workers– Emotions & Feelings (of soldiers, families, Emotions & Feelings (of soldiers, families,

workers, business owners)workers, business owners)Expectations (of soldiers, families, wives, Expectations (of soldiers, families, wives, working women, business owners, workers)working women, business owners, workers)

– What are the expectations of: What are the expectations of: – The returning soldiersThe returning soldiers– The women (working women, wife of The women (working women, wife of

soldier, soldier, – Businesses & Business OwnersBusinesses & Business Owners– The workers who worked during WW1The workers who worked during WW1– The country of CanadaThe country of Canada

• Read p. 49/50Read p. 49/50

Response to Situation Response to Situation Post WW1Post WW1

• Workers demanded:Workers demanded:– Higher wagesHigher wages– Better working conditionsBetter working conditions– Right to join Right to join UnionsUnions

• Resulted in Strikes (stopping work) Resulted in Strikes (stopping work) by Union & employeesby Union & employees

““Confrontation between workers & Confrontation between workers & employers was inevitableemployers was inevitable””

Power in #Power in #’’ss

• Idea of Unions is to gain negotiating Idea of Unions is to gain negotiating influence with businesses by influence with businesses by representing lots of employeesrepresenting lots of employees

• In March 1919 In March 1919 ““One Big UnionOne Big Union”” (OBU) was created(OBU) was created……represented represented ALL workers in Canada (mostly ALL workers in Canada (mostly Western Canada)Western Canada)– Main Weapon for OBU => Main Weapon for OBU => General General

StrikeStrike (a walkout by all employees (a walkout by all employees

The Winnipeg The Winnipeg General Strike General Strike

(1919)(1919)

CanadaCanada’’s Post-war Economy s Post-war Economy and Workersand Workers’’ Rights Rights

MovementMovement

The Strike BeginsThe Strike Begins……

• The Winnipeg General Strike began May, 1919. The Winnipeg General Strike began May, 1919. • WinnipegWinnipeg’’s metal and building workers walked off s metal and building workers walked off

their jobs. their jobs.

• Workers demanding higher wages, a shorter Workers demanding higher wages, a shorter working week and the right to working week and the right to collective collective bargainingbargaining..

• Collective Bargaining = Allows Union to negotiate Collective Bargaining = Allows Union to negotiate (working conditions, wages, etc) for union members (working conditions, wages, etc) for union members

• Why would collective bargaining be opposed by Why would collective bargaining be opposed by

employers?employers?

The Strike GrowsThe Strike Grows……• The Gazette, May 17, 1919 (Montreal)The Gazette, May 17, 1919 (Montreal)

The strike which is in progress in The strike which is in progress in Winnipeg presents features which merit Winnipeg presents features which merit serious consideration. The trouble, which serious consideration. The trouble, which was confined previously to the metal and was confined previously to the metal and building trades, has become general. building trades, has become general. From fifteen to twenty-five thousand From fifteen to twenty-five thousand employees have left their work, and all employees have left their work, and all branches of commercial and industrial branches of commercial and industrial activities of the city are affected. activities of the city are affected.

What services do you think stopped during What services do you think stopped during the strike?the strike?

A City A City ““ParalyzedParalyzed””

• Post office employeesPost office employees• FiremenFiremen• Street railway employeesStreet railway employees• Telephone, power and waterworks Telephone, power and waterworks

employeesemployees• Railway workers Railway workers • NewspapersNewspapers

Citizens Committee of One Citizens Committee of One ThousandThousand

• A counter-strike committee, the A counter-strike committee, the "Citizens' Committee of One Thousand", "Citizens' Committee of One Thousand", was created by Winnipeg's wealthy was created by Winnipeg's wealthy elite. elite. – The Committee declared the strike to be a The Committee declared the strike to be a

violent, revolutionary conspiracy by a small violent, revolutionary conspiracy by a small group of foreigners. group of foreigners.

• The CitizensThe Citizens’’ Committee saw the strike Committee saw the strike as attempting to overthrow the as attempting to overthrow the Canadian government. Canadian government.

““Clean out the Clean out the BolshevistsBolshevists””

• The Times, May 20, 1919 (Toronto) The Times, May 20, 1919 (Toronto)

Winnipeg is a warning to the rest of Canada. The Winnipeg is a warning to the rest of Canada. The object of the One Big Union is plain. It is the aim object of the One Big Union is plain. It is the aim of the Reds who dominate that organization to of the Reds who dominate that organization to use mass-power, in defiance of agreements, for use mass-power, in defiance of agreements, for the overturning of organized society.the overturning of organized society.

The Times agrees with Major-General McRae The Times agrees with Major-General McRae that there should be a "clean-up" of the that there should be a "clean-up" of the revolutionary agitators and foreign undesirables revolutionary agitators and foreign undesirables who infest the country.who infest the country.

• What do you What do you think is taking think is taking place in the place in the photo? photo?

• Why would Why would citizens attack citizens attack this streetcar?this streetcar?

The Government ReactsThe Government Reacts

• The federal government was worried The federal government was worried that protest would spread to other citiesthat protest would spread to other cities

• The Immigration Act was changed to The Immigration Act was changed to allow foreign-born union leaders to be allow foreign-born union leaders to be deporteddeported

• The mayor of Winnipeg fired much of The mayor of Winnipeg fired much of the police force and arrests strike the police force and arrests strike leaders leaders

• Which side of the strike do the people in this Which side of the strike do the people in this photo support?photo support?

““Bloody SaturdayBloody Saturday””

• On June On June 21, 21, strikers strikers held a held a parade to parade to protest protest the the mayormayor’’s s actionsactions

““Bloody SaturdayBloody Saturday”” ContCont’’dd……

• The parade The parade turned violent turned violent when the when the Royal North Royal North West West Mounted Mounted Police Police charged into charged into the crowdthe crowd

The Strike EndsThe Strike Ends

• One striker One striker died; 30 died; 30 were injured; were injured; and many and many more were more were arrestedarrested

• 43 days after 43 days after it began, the it began, the strike was strike was overover

Short Term OutcomeShort Term Outcome

• 7 out of 10 strike leaders convicted of 7 out of 10 strike leaders convicted of trying to overthrow the government; trying to overthrow the government; sentenced to prison termssentenced to prison terms

• Many striking workers not rehiredMany striking workers not rehired• Many forced to sign agreements Many forced to sign agreements

promising not to join a unionpromising not to join a union• Tensions between labour and business Tensions between labour and business

get worseget worse

Long Term OutcomeLong Term Outcome

• The Royal Commission investigated The Royal Commission investigated the strike concluded the strike was the strike concluded the strike was notnot a criminal conspiracy by a criminal conspiracy by foreigners and suggested that:foreigners and suggested that:

• "if Capital does not provide enough to "if Capital does not provide enough to assure Labour a contented existence ... then assure Labour a contented existence ... then the Government might find it necessary to the Government might find it necessary to step in and let the state do these things at step in and let the state do these things at the expense of Capital."the expense of Capital."

• If the province doesnIf the province doesn’’t solve the problem t solve the problem with the workers, the Canadian government with the workers, the Canadian government will step in and resolve the issuewill step in and resolve the issue

HWHW

• Winnipeg General Strike HW Winnipeg General Strike HW QuestionsQuestions