According to some historians, the early days of the strike were almost festive. City waterwork workers also stayed on duty but worked at reduced pressure. However, the Strike Committee requested the police officers who also supported the strike to remain on duty. About 30,000 workers in both private and public sectors abandoned their jobs. Subsequently, a Strike Committee was formed.Īlmost all workers of Winnipeg went on strike at around 1100 hours on Saturday, May 15, 1919. The strike was discussed in Winnipeg’s Trade and Labor Council (TLC) where the majority of the 12,000 members voted in support of a general strike. When the negotiations failed at the end of April, the workers went on strike on May 1 and 2. The immediate cause of the general strike was the support for collective bargaining in building and metal trades, where workers attempted to negotiate their contracts with their employers. Although the OBU was formed in June 1919, its idea may have contributed to the unrest. In March 1919, western labor delegates met in Calgary where they resolved to form a new union center known as One Big Union that would unite all workers from trades and industries into a single organization. They were mainly influenced by the ideas put forward by the reformers, revolutionaries, and radicals. The general strike came at a time when workers were agitating for the formation of unions to champion their rights. However, the Canadian workers saw them as competitors for the few available jobs. These soldiers hoped for better social conditions and employment opportunities upon their return from the war. The general strike may also have been caused by the soldiers who were returning from World War I. Additionally, the workers accused their employers of earning “fat profits” at their expense. The immigrant workers were discriminated against, the prices of commodities were rising, and the housing and health conditions were also poor. The workers were being paid very low wages and the employment itself was unstable. Several factors and events may have led to the strike, most of which are related to discrimination and poor working conditions of the city’s working class. Although the Winnipeg General Strike ended in defeat, it has contributed to a stronger labor movement and social democracy in Canada. At least one striker was killed and several others injured in what is now known as “Bloody Saturday.” The strike was officially called off on June 25, 1919, after the heavy defeat. On June 21, 1919, the city’s mayor read out the Riot Act and immediately a group of Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers again attacked the crowd on Main Street. After several arrests, incidences of violence, bloodshed, deportation, and defeat, the strike came to an end. On June 10, a group of about 1,800 policemen descended on the crowd with their clubs, leading to a confrontation. While the striking workers held on to their policy of non-violence, the police commissioner organized a police unit to confront the workers. The economic activities in Winnipeg were brought to a standstill. For six weeks, from May 15, 1919, to June 26, 1919, the city was paralyzed with over 30,000 laborers, tradesmen, and provincial and city employees walking off their jobs. The workers were left with no option but to call a general strike. However, the business class, which was accused of “growing fat” on workers’ labor and profiteering, refused to deal with the workers. Their major demands were better working conditions and increased wages. After World War I, workers throughout Winnipeg began demanding for change. The Winnipeg General Strike, the largest strike in Canadian history and the first in North America, will forever be remembered by the Canadians themselves and the world at large, especially North America. Winnipeg is one of Canada’s most popular cities because of its rich history and cultural diversity.
In 1919, over 30,000 workers abandoned their jobs and walked away, a strike that is famously known as the “Winnipeg General Strike.” The strike was as a result of labor conditions, post-World War I recession, and the influx of soldiers returning from the war seeking employment. Winnipeg was Canada’s third-largest city in the early 1900s but with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the city faced several financial challenges and reduced prosperity and population. The multicultural city hosts festivals throughout the year to celebrate its history and diversity. It was recognized as Canada’s cultural city in 2010 because of its rich coalition of history, modern art, and cosmopolitanism. Winnipeg, also known as the “Cradle of Canada” or “Gateway to the West” is located at the heart of North America.
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