Gourt > Regional > North America > Canada > Society and Culture > History > Winnipeg General Strike
The Winnipeg General Strike was Canada's most influential labour action. After World War I many Canadian soldiers returned home to find few opportunities, all while companies had enjoyed enormous profits on war contracts. Wages and working conditions were dismal and labour regulations were mostly non-existent. The Bolshevik revolution had just occurred in Russia and many workers saw this as an example of a successful socialist revolution.
In March 1919 labour delegates from across Western Canada convened in Calgary to form a branch of the "One Big Union," with the intention of earning rights for Canadian workers through a series of general strikes.
In Winnipeg, workers within the building and metal industries attempted to unionize by forming the Building Trade Council and Metal Trade Council respectively, but the management refused to negotiate. Due to the restrictions of labour policy in the 1900s a union could only be recognized voluntarily by employers or through strike action. Therefore, workers from both industries went on strike to gain union recognition.
More on [ Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 ]
Labour :: History
Labour :: Society and Culture
Labor :: Social History
11E's Winnipeg General Strike article and questions for Wed. Was it worth it? Was the gov't behaving rationally?
MrBreden (Morgan Breden) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:12:09 -0000
11E's Winnipeg General Strike article and questions for Wed. Was it worth it? Was the gov't behaving rationally?
Civilization.ca - Winnipeg general strike - Article reviewing the events of the labour action.
NA Living Memory - Winnipeg General Strike - Film on Real Video from the 1919 Winnigeg General Strike.
Meta Description: [ National Archives of Canada - Living Memory Exhibition ]
On Strike: The Winnipeg General Strike, 1919 - Review of the film from CM Magazine.
Winnipeg fights the One Big Union - Contemporary article from the Montreal Gazette opposing the General Strike.
Winnipeg General Strike - The Winnipeg General Strike, 15 May-25 June 1919, was Canada's best-known general strike. Article from the Canadian Encyclopedia.
Meta Description: [ The Winnipeg General Strike, 15 May-25 June 1919, was Canada's best-known general strike. Massive unemployment and inflation, the success of the Russian Revolution (1917), a wave of strikes across Canada and rising ]
Winnipeg General Strike - Canadian Heritage Gallery - Image of workers during the strike.
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Winnipeg General Strike 1919 - Larry Zolf provides details of the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919.
Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 - Wikipedia - Description of the causes and events of the strike, with links to related information.
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Winnipeg General Strike. - Article from the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation on the 1919 general strike movement.
