Flashback Friday: Winnipeg workers cripple city in 1919 general strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/5things/flashback-friday-winnipeg-workers-cripple-city-in-1919-general-strike-1.2373852

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Friday, May 15, 2015 6:30AM EDT

On this day in 1919, Winnipeg workers collectively launched a general strike, marking one of the most significant labour strikes in Canadian history.

They were dubbed as “Bolsheviks,” “aliens,” and “anarchists” by the media. In reporting the strike, The New York Times declared in a headline that “Bolshevism Invades Canada.”

The strike was the result of growing unrest among Canadian workers, many of whom returned from the First World War to a difficult economic environment, including factory closures, high unemployment and poor working conditions. At the heart of the strike was the principle of collective bargaining and better wages.

At 11 a.m. on May 15 nearly the entire working population of Winnipeg, including public and private sector employees, walked off the job. It is estimated that about 30,000 workers participated in the strike.

FULL story at link.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

1. I always wished

that they taught us this stuff in Canadian high schools. IMO, us Canadians have a rather short and bland history compared to other countries, but obviously teaching kids that everyday Canadians used to band together and stand up for themselves would be a lesson too dangerous to the status quo.