Centenary Edition
Alberta Labour History Institute Alberta Labour History2005 Centennials 2005
Industrial Workers of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Sheet Metal Workers Local 8 World (IWW) —the Wobblies Union 496 (Belated)
Originally, the Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers International The romantic and colourful union, the Industrial Workers of the Plumbers and Pipefitters ocal nion 96 was chartered in 19 Alliance Local 254, a trade union based in Calgary, was founded World (IWW), was founded in Chicago in 1905 to organize in Calgary, Alberta. As the economy of southern Alberta became on February 28, 1905. By April 17, 1907, the Edmonton all workers regardless of nationality, craft, sex or race into one increasingly industrialized, the Local Union assumed jurisdiction branch, Local 371, was formed and on November 1, 1934, Local powerful class-aware union. The IWW pioneered innovative over plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, sprinkler fitters, pipeline 371 was re-chartered to become Local 271, Edmonton. On July organizing techniques such as wobbly songs and poetry and welders, instrument mechanics and non-destructive testing , 19 , the nion officially changed its name to Sheet Metal successfully conducted strikes in many industries. The IWW was technicians working in building construction and maintenance, Workers International Association at their convention in established by activists Mother Jones, Big Bill Haywood, Eugene pipelines, refineries, gas plants, and other industrial installations. Montreal, Canada. V. Debs and others. Members included Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, ocal nion 96 was the first local union in western Canada to Helen Keller and wobbly poet and songwriter Joe Hill. establish its own pension and health and welfare plans. It also Local 558 in Lethbridge was formed on July 8, 1953. The amalga- established the Piping Industry Training School to develop skills mation of Locals 254, 271 and 558 into Local 8 was completed on In British Columbia and Alberta, the union organizer was Arthur in the pipe trades. May 1, 1973 and given jurisdiction over the Province of Alberta “Slim” Evans. Slim Evans was a colourful socialist and trade and District of McKenzie, NWT. As well as negotiating contracts union organizer who played the leading role in organizing the The United Association of Journeymen Plumbers, Gas Fitters, for its members with the Calgary Sheet Metal Association, it oper- On-to-Ottawa Trek of 1935. Steam Fitters and Steam Fitters Helpers of the United States ated an apprenticeship program for individuals learning the trade. and Canada was established in the USA in 1889. Its most recent change of name was in 1947, when it became the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada. It is also known by the short form name United Association, or more informally, the Plumbers Union. January 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Well I suppose it was like most of the black people that was enforced and they had no rights. So they decided they came over, they were looking for a better life, a better place wanted to move where there was freedom. That’s the reason to raise their children. They wanted freedom. My father’s they moved to Keystone—maybe 80 miles from Edmonton. uncle had this plantation and was going to sell it. But the They moved away out in the bush so they could have their white people around him, they wanted his plantation. So they own government. Well yes. decided to get rid of him; in fact they were going to lynch —Gwen Hooks, African-Canadian schoolteacher about how she him and take the plantation. He and his family moved to came to teach school in Breton, Alberta Oklahoma. When they got to Oklahoma the Jim Crow Law New Year’s Day 1
1905 Conference of 1963 The 1,000,000th industrial unionists in claim for compensation Chicago leads to the by an injured worker is filed formation of the Industrial with the Alberta Workmen’s Workers of the World Compensation Board in its (IWW) 45th year of operation
Ukrainian 2 3 4 5 6 Christmas 7 8
1973 Negotiations for a 1929 Martin Luther King first contract at Wardair born fail. A two-month strike starts
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1915 Industrial Workers 1962 Alberta New of the World (IWW) poet Democrats founding Ralph Chaplin writes provincial convention Solidarity Forever
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
1975 Canadian Air 1850 Samuel Gompers, 1954 Workers at Fort 1737 Thomas Paine born Line Flight Attendants first president of American Saskatchewan’s first Association (CALFAA) Federation of Labor, born chemical refinery are lobbying campaign chartered as ICWU Local defeats proposal by 530. Now known as Transport Canada Communications, Energy prohibiting female flight and Paperworkers Local attendants from working 530A beyond the 13th week of pregnancy 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
December 2004 February 2005
SMTTFSW SMTTFSW 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1959 Teacher Mrs. Brooker Edwards, Grassland School, Amber Valley, Alberta. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 27 28 February 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1918 Seventy-four 2002 Largest teachers’ Edmonton Fire strike empties classrooms Department employees in Alberta strike in one of the first public sector strikes in Alberta 2000 Founding of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), Edmonton Branch 1 2 3 4 5
1990 Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, Calgary Transit System strike begins 2001 Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, Calgary Transit begins two month strike
Chinese/Lunar 6 7 8 New Year 9 10 11 12
1990 Amalgamated 1936 Goodyear sitdown Transit Union Local 583, strike begins in Akron, Calgary Transit System Ohio strike ends 1944 Privy Council Order 1003 comes into effect: provides national recognition of collective bargaining contracts as legal documents 13 Valentine’s Day 14 15 16 17 18 19
2002 Back-to-work orders issued by the government in an attempt to force Alberta teachers back to the classrooms
20 Family Day 21 22 23 24 25 26 1905 Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers International Alliance Local 254 formed in Calgary
27 28
th GWG in those days (the 1940s) was where the old Army and Navy store is now on 97 St & 104 Ave. January 2005 March 2005 They had three floors of workers there. It was all piecework, everything was piece work. Your pay depended on how many pieces you made; you got so much per bundle. At the time when I started, I SMTTFSW SMTTFSW was getting straight wage—they were paying $12 a week. I had to pay my room, my board, and live 1 1 2 3 4 5 on that. But then they put you on piecework, and if you didn’t make the minimum wage, that was 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 too bad. 1958 Olga Danowich, nee Oschipok, in sewing room of Hatchwear Uniforms 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 factory, Calgary, Alberta. —Anna Ozipko, Business Agent, United Garment Workers of America about working conditions in 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Edmonton’s GWG Plant in the 1940s 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30 31 30 31 March 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1908 First International 1906 Seven month Women’s Day started in United Mine Workers New York City by garment strike in Lethbridge workers begins, resulting in anti- 1978 Canadian Human labour Industrial Disputes Rights Act (HRA) takes Investigation Act being effect, outlawing passed by federal discrimination on the government in 1907 grounds of age or marital status 1 2 3 4 5
1917 Calgary establishes 1871 Paris Commune Feast Day of Saint Labour Representation founded Joseph, patron saint of League to nominate workers candidates in elections to all levels of government
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1919 Delegates from 1913 First convention of 1951 Local 630 of Oil 1918 Canadian women 1911 New York Triangle 1919 Civil Service most union locals in the Provincial Council of Workers International win the right to vote in Shirtwaist Fire. 147 Association of Alberta western Canada meet Carpenters nion certified in federal elections workers, the vast majority (CSA), precursor to AUPE, at the Western Labour dmonton the first local 1977 Parkland Nursing women, perish after formed Conference in Calgary in the oil industry to last Home Workers (CUPE) being locked in the and form One Big Union for some time begin a lengthy strike factory by the employer
13 14 15 16 St. Patrick’s Day 17 18 19
1980 United Nurses of Alberta organize program of action to publicize low nurses’ wages
Spring Equinox 20 21 22 23 24 Good Friday 25 26
1927 Cesar Chavez born
27 Easter Monday 28 29 30 31
Strip mining near the Morin Bridge—it was a lot of work to remove the overburden of soil and February 2005 April 2005 grass. It would take a long day to return home with a full load of coal. But it kept the family from freezing. Coal also was used in heating water and cooking your meals. It was very important to us. SMTTFSW SMTTFSW The neighbours often went together to help each other when they were gathering coal down there. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 —Clara Montgomery, miner’s wife about life in Morin, Alberta in the Drumheller Valley during the 1920s 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 March 1937 Interior view of mine shaft, Kent Coal Company, located at 10631 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 – 92 Street, Edmonton, Alberta. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 27 28 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 April 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
We had thousands of unemployed in Edmonton who ate astounding. Edmonton had a population of 80,000 at that 1917 Seven thousand two meals a day at soup kitchens. We often had riots, time, so this was an enormous event. The police tried to fi e hundred row’s est when they would destroy all the dishes and throw away the prevent people from coming in. The RCMP blockaded all miners belonging to the United Mine Workers of food. They were a big force. We had thousands of people the main roads but they got around that. The farmers came America strike who were being evicted from their homes because they in during the night on the side roads—they couldn’t keep couldn’t pay taxes. We had thousands of people who had them from coming in. no place to go except dirty, cheap rooming houses, which —Ben Swanky, Leader, Alberta Labour Progressive Party were supplied by the authorities. So the idea of a hunger about the lead-up to the Edmonton Hunger March of 1932 march caught on. The fact that we got 12,000 people is 1 2
Daylight Savings Time begins 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1983 Bill 44 introduced: 1919 The Edmonton Free removes the legal right Press, journal of the to strike for all hospital Edmonton Trades and workers Labour Council, begins publication 2001 Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, Calgary Transit Strike ends 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1907 Amalgamated 1980 United Nurses of 1980 Nurses defy back- 1956 Canadian Labour Sheet Metal Workers Alberta begin legal strike to-work order winning a Congress formed International Alliance at 79 hospitals negotiated settlement six Local 371 formed in days later Edmonton 1951 Civic, school board and healthcare employees form the Federation of Public Employees, fore- runner of the National Union of Public 17 18 19 20 Employees 21 22 23
1933 Fourteen leaders International Day of of a Calgary relief strike Mourning for workers killed are arrested or injured on the job
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
March 2005 May 2005
SMTTFSW SMTTFSW 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Communications Workers of Canada strike against Northern Electric and 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Manufacturing Company Limited. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 May 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1830 Mary Harris Jones 1919 Western Labour 1886 Workers 1818 Karl Marx born 1968 French students born (Mother Jones) Conference in Calgary demonstrating in Chicago and workers revolt in Paris 1917 Civic Employees votes to dissociate for the eight-hour day are 1903 First issue of Alberta’s Federal Union No. 30 Western labour from attacked by police on labour newspaper, Bond granted charter Trades and Labour Haymarket Square of Brotherhood, appears 1923 International Labour Congress of Canada in Calgary Day, Edmonton workers and form One Big Union rally to support striking 2002 Edmonton United Edmonton coal miners Food and Commercial Workers Local 401 1 2 strike begins 3 4 5 6 7
1771 Labour reformer Robert Owen born
Mother’s Day 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1903 International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen grants charter to Local 1 in Edmonton 1919 Winnipeg General Strike begins
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
1921 Trial of Italian- 1905 Calgary Trades 1919 Edmonton and 1871 Paris Commune American anarchists and Labour Council Calgary general strikes in crushed with 25,000 killed Sacco and Vanzetti granted charter solidarity with Winnipeg 1919 Eight thousand begins General Strike begin miners in District 18 join sympathy strike with Winnipeg workers
22 Victoria Day 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
The worst mine event that I remember was the two Meyers boys being killed in the mine shaft. They April 2005 June 2005 were coming up off work and something happened to the cable. It came up so fast it hit the top and went right back down again. The two boys were killed. That was about the worst accident. SMTTFSW SMTTFSW —Tilly Herman, miner’s wife, East Coulee, describing a mine accident in the Drumheller Valley in the 1940s 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1919 The skilled craftsmen of the Brotherhood of Carpenters, Joiners Local 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1325 constructing the Marshal Wells building that sold hardware. The 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Brotherhood celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 11, 2002. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 June 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1986 01 June to 14 1912 Alberta Federation December “The Battle of of Labour founded in 66 Street”. United Food Lethbridge and Commerical Workers Local 280P begin six- month strike at Gainers Meatpacking Plant. UFCW workers at Fletchers in Red Deer begin strike 1 2 3 4
1935 The On-to-Ottawa 1872 Trade unions Trek reaches Calgary pro ided first recognition from Vancouver in Canadian law but with severe restrictions that force most of them to forego registering
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
1976 Alberta Union of Provincial Employees formed
National Public Service Week 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
1914 In Alberta’s worst 1919 “Bloody Saturday”– 1919 Winnipeg General mine disaster ever, 189 Police repression of Strike ends miners die in Hillcrest mine workers in Winnipeg 2002 Alberta Teachers General Strike results in Association reaches deal two deaths that ends the dispute with the Conservative government Father’s Day 19 20 Summer Solstice 21 22 23 24 25
1869 Emma Goldman, 1926 Six Labour 1919 Government raids famous anarchist- members win seats in unions across Canada, feminist, born Alberta provincial enforcing new “sedition” election legislation meant to restrict unionism and fend off socialism
26 27 28 29 30
But getting back to the police, I remember one evening when we were all down there demonstrating. May 2005 July 2005 I turned and looked and here come twelve of them on horseback—not a very nice scene. We tend to think that we live in this free country where we have the right of free collective bargaining. That’s a SMTTFSW SMTTFSW farce if there ever was one. The right to sign your name on the paper for somebody to take it away, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 that’s all the right we have. Anybody who thinks that it’s free—they gotta be drinking something 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 pretty good. 1941 – 1945 During WWII, beet growers in Southern Alberta brought Japanese 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 labourers from British Columbia to work in the sugar beet fields. —Gib Todd, National Representative, Communications Energ y & Paperworkers talking about the Calgary 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Herald Strike of 1999 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 July 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
There aren’t enough policemen to arrest us all. There aren’t enough judges 1919 July 01 A mass arrest 1935 On-to-Ottawa Trek 1980 AUPE “wildcat to try us all. There aren’t enough jails to hold us all. of One Big Union is violently repressed by strike” at ALCB members is coordinated RCMP in Regina 1968 Canadian Union —Dave Werlin, former President, Alberta Federation of Labour about police by federal government 1968 Federal monies of Public Employees 474 intimidation on UFCW 280P picket line at Gainers Meatpacking Plant, became available to Edmonton is granted a provinces that charter Edmonton, August 1986 established universal, comprehensive, public medical health insurance Canada Day 1 2
1977 United Nurses of 1949 International 1918 Hotel and Alberta begin legal strike Association of Bridge, Restaurant Employees at seven Alberta hospitals Structural, Ornamental Union organizes two affecting 2,500 nurses and Reinforcing Iron hotels and six restaurants 2000 After eight months of Workers Local 720 charter after Calgary Trades and a bitter first contract fight issued Labour Council threatens Communications, Energy a general strike and Paperworkers of 1953 Sheet Metal Workers Canada Local 115A strikers Local 558 formed in lose the fight for a Lethbridge 3 union contract 4 5 6 7 8 9
1997 United Food and 1961 Amalgamated 1912 Woody Guthrie Commercial Workers Association of Street born Local 1118, meatpackers Electric Railway and at the High River, Alberta Motor Coach Employees Cargill plant go on strike of America Local 583 strike Calgary Transit July 11 to August 22
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1936 Spanish Civil War 1921 United Farmers of 1966 Canada Packers begins Alberta government is strike by United elected. Four Labour Packinghouse Workers of members are also America elected
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
1948 Canadian Air 1997 Canadian Auto Line Flight Attendants Workers Local 4050 go Association (CALFAA) is on strike against Marriott certified Food Services, Michener Center, Red Deer
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
June 2005 August 2005
SMTTFSW SMTTFSW 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1975 School children join Canadian Union of Public Employees caretaker 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 picketers, Calgary, Alberta. Canadian Union of Public Employees were on 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 strike over salary, overtime and job description issues. 31 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 31 August 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1918 August 01 Workmen’s 1906 Edmonton Trades 1997 United Food and 1908 Two month 1981 Wardair locks out Compensation Act and Labour Council Commercial Workers national rail strike of CPR its flight attendants becomes effective for granted charter Local 1118 settles strike shop and yard workers The lockout lasts 13 the coal mining industry. 1932 The CCF is founded in begins weeks, with the company Trade union pressure led Calgary by labour, farmer using scabs and a strike- to passage of the Act and and socialist parties, breaking security firm later its extension to most along with one union, the 1906 Edmonton Trades other industries Canadian Brotherhood of and Labour Council 1944 August 01 A federal Railway Employees established (forerunner bill establishing family of the EDLC) allowances passes in the House of Commons Heritage Day 1 2 3 4 5 6
1940 The Unemployment Insurance Act receives royal assent. Labour had fought a long battle for a federal program of UI
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1911 Amalgamated 1834 British National Transit Union 569 granted Trades Union founded charter 1961 Amalgamated Association of Street Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America Local 583 Calgary Transit strike ends 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
1980 Solidarnosc founded in Gdansk, Poland
28 29 30 31
Well, the hotel [Chateau Lacombe] was opening up. So I went to McDougall United Church close July 2005 September 2005 to there and talked to the grand old minister. “Yes,” he says, “you can have the basement. Bring them down, sign them up down here.” So Evelyn used to go up the stairways in the hotel when we SMTTFSW SMTTFSW were organizing chambermaids. Evelyn would take about six hats with her. She’d change her hat on 1 2 1 2 3 the main floor and take the elevator up. Pretty soon they’d get to know her by her hat, so she’d 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 change it. 1961 Edmonton Club waitresses on strike in Edmonton, Alberta. Edmonton 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Club locked workers out when they asked for a 5 cent raise (to 80 cents/hour). —Doug Tomlinson, Union Organizer, Alberta Local, Hotel & Restaurant Workers Union, about working with 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 his wife Evelyn Tomlinson 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 September 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1907 More than half of 2004 First Industrial Calgary’s population Workers of the World attends Labour Day North American General parade organized by Assembly in Alberta held Trades and Labour in Edmonton September Council 03 to 06
1 2 3
1920 Edmonton Free 1946 Alberta Farmers 1904 Plumbers and Press becomes Alberta Union begins 30-day strike ipefitters ocal Labour News: serves as demanding minimum recei es first charter official paper for A fi ed price for wheat largest plumbers and pipefitters local in Canada and one of the largest in North America
4 Labour Day 5 6 7 8 9 10
2003 Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Local 1900 walk out in Edmonton in effort to ratify contract with A-Channel
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
1963 Canadian Union of Public Employees is formed by a merger of National Union of Public Service Employees and National Union of Public Employees
18 19 20 21 Fall Equinox 22 23 24
1918 Borden 1912 IWW organizes a government outlaws strike of 250 sewer publications and construction workers meetings in 14 languages. 1918 Borden government Canada’s radical and bans 14 organizations, labour press are key including IWW, Social targets Democratic Party, 2003 Levi Strauss Chinese Labour Associa- announces closure of tion and Ukrainian Social GWG plant in Democratic Edmonton 25 26 Party 27 28 29 30
The split [with the US] came when we merged with Gas Coke, International Chemical Workers. We August 2005 October 2005 should have been able to merge in Canada without them merging in the US—the kind of autonomy we have now. We were quite sad when [the International] Convention rejected our position. The SMTTFSW SMTTFSW rank-and-file didn’t want us to leave, because we were the progressive unit at their Conventions. They 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 said we could do things in Canada that they can’t do in the US, and that’s likely true. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 September 23, 1946 Farmers picket at Olds during Alberta Farmers Union —Neil Reimer, National President, Energ y & Chemical Workers Union about the 1979 split of the Canadian 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 delivery strike blockading Mountain View Livestock Co-op yard. section from the Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers Int. Union 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 October 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
It separated the community, because Newcastle was On-to-Ottawa Trek [1935] and had been in Regina, and had 1920 One Big Union the hotbed of radicalism. Anybody around a coal mine, been injured in that attack. Right away that separated us. My miners begin province- particularly members of the union, was perceived as being in mother paid for it more than we did. It wasn’t so bad for the wide strike. Government passes Order-in-Council the Red camp and everybody else was in the other camp. It kids, but it affected the valley and the whole community. for miners to accept affected the way we chose our friends—not only as adults, but —Jan Tarasoff, teacher and member of Ukrainian Labour Farmer WA as their official as kids. There was a young person I went to school with and representative Temple Association about the effects of the Cold War during her 1948 International Union we became quite chummy to start with. But her father was an childhood in the Drumheller Valley of Operating Engineers RCMP officer—he had been in the RCMP at the time of the Local 955 granted charter 1
1918 Amalgamated 1958 ffice and Meatcutters Union formed Professional Employees in Edmonton International Union Local 379 chartered in Calgary
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1919 Alberta Teachers 1918 Unionists in Calgary 1976 Canadian Labour 1919 Alberta Teachers Alliance holds province’s stage sympathy strike Congress holds national Alliance strike resolved first teachers’ strike with Calgary freight day of protest against the handlers Trudeau government’s 1975 Grace Hartman wage-control policy becomes CUPE president, the first woman president of a major union in North America 9 Thanksgiving 10 11 12 13 14 15
1865 Delegates meet 1999 Founding meeting and form the National of Alberta Labour History Bricklayers Union Institute at southside Rosie’s, Edmonton
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
September 2005 November 2005
SMTTFSW SMTTFSW 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 October 1933 Unemployed demonstration during the Great Depression, 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Edmonton, Alberta. Daylight Savings Halloween 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Time Ends 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 27 28 29 30 November 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1934 Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers International Alliance Local 371 re-chartered to become Local 271, Edmonton
1 2 3 4 5
1999 Members of the 1902 United Communications, Energy Brotherhood of and Paperworkers of Carpenters and Joiners Canada Local 115A and of America granted the Graphic Communica- charter as Local 1325 tions International Union Edmonton, the oldest Local 34M at the Calgary construction union still Herald walk off their jobs operating under its after seeking a first original charter in Alberta contract for more than a year Remembrance 6 7 8 9 10 Day 11 12
1995 CUPE Local 8 1997 Maple Leaf pork laundry workers in plant (formerly Gainers) Calgary engage in illegal workers strike despite strike to stop contracting company threat to close out. Strike spreads to all plant if workers strike of city’s major hospitals and members from other unions, including Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, 13 walk out 14 15 16 17 18 19
2002 Edmonton Shaw 1995 CUPE Local 8 and Conference Centre Local 12 hospital laundry workers UFCW Local 401 workers’ illegal strike strike ends with workers in Calgary ends with a winning first contract moratorium on contracting out
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
1992 Canadian Paperworkers Union, Communication Workers of Canada and the Energy and Chemical Workers Union merge to create Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) 27 28 29 30
So I started with Calgary Transit as a cleaner, then I became serviceman and trolley repairman. In October 2005 December 2005 1961 I participated in the first strike. Strikes in general shouldn’t be necessary, but they really create solidarity between members when they know they’re all in the same boat; they have to look out for SMTTFSW SMTTFSW each other. My wife became involved also. The late Senator Harry Hayes was the mayor of Calgary 1 1 2 3 then. He was not one to respect unions. One of his favourite expressions was, “You should all be 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1934 Full slate of Workers Unity League (WUL) supporters elected to town rickshaw drivers in China, then you’d know what it would be like to have a job and be happy.” 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 council in Blairmore, Alberta. The WUL fought for immediate demands, such —Gunter Bruckner, President and activist, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, about a transit strike in 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 as the “work and wages” sought by the 1935 On-to-Ottawa trekkers. Calgary 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 30 31 December 2005
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1905 J.A. Kinney, president of Carpenters ocal becomes first president of American Federation of Labor (Alberta)
1 2 3
1921 William Irvine of 1896 International Union 1869 Knights of Labor 1886 American algary wins first federal of Steam and Operating founded Federation of Labor labour seat in Alberta for Engineers is issued a 1910 Bellevue Mine founded Canadian Labour Party charter by the American disaster claims the lives Federation of Labor of 31 miners
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1883 Railway engineers and firemen in algary strike against wage cuts
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
1944 Amalgamated 1932 Edmonton Hunger 1904 United Association Transit Union Local 1374 March is ended by police Pipe Trades Local Union chartered in Calgary violence with over 100 496, Calgary granted arrested a charter by the United Association
18 19 20 Winter Solstice 21 22 23 24
1886 Knights of Labor establish first Alberta base with an assembly in Calgary
Christmas Day 25 Boxing Day 26 27 28 29 30 31
The government can make all the laws it wants, but it can’t stop people from going on strike. They November 2005 January 2006 can make laws saying that you can’t strike, and if you do, there will be the penalty. They may indeed make you pay the penalty; you may refuse—but they cannot prevent you from going on strike. Our SMTTFSW SMTTFSW nurses would discuss that. How are they going to make me do this? OK, they can fine me, but they 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 still can’t make me go to work. They could get the army out and march me to work, but can they 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1980 Nurses at the Mewburn Pavillion at the University Hospital in Edmonton. make me work? No. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Before tearing down the Mewburn to make way for the new emergency wing of the —Marg Ethier, President, United Nurses of Alberta, 1980-1989 about Alberta Government response to the 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 University Hospital, the Mewburn was the centre for veteran care and dialysis. 1982 nurses’ strike 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 January 2006
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1905 Conference of 1963 The 1,000,000th industrial unionists in claim for compensation Chicago leads to the by an injured worker is filed formation of the Industrial with the Alberta Workmen’s Workers of the World Compensation Board in its (IWW) 45th year of operation
New Year’s Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1973 Negotiations for a first contract at Wardair fail. A two-month strike starts
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1929 Martin Luther King 1915 Industrial Workers 1962 Alberta New born of the World (IWW) poet Democrats founding Ralph Chaplin writes provincial convention Solidarity Forever
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
1975 Canadian Air 1850 Samuel Gompers, 1954 Workers at Fort Line Flight Attendants first president of American Saskatchewan’s first Association (CALFAA) Federation of Labor, born chemical refinery are lobbying campaign chartered as ICWU Local defeats proposal by 530. Now known as Transport Canada Communications, Energy prohibiting female flight and Paperworkers Local attendants from working 530A beyond 13th week of pregnancy 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
1737 Thomas Paine born
29 30 31
When I started in 1973, there was very little work that wasn’t union—certainly all the commercial December 2005 February 2006 and industrial work, and even the residential, to quite an extent, as well as pipelines and all that kind of stuff. It was a good time overall, a good environment for working people. But when the 1980s SMTTFSW SMTTFSW came along, the whole world changed. There was massive unemployment, and there was Bill 110, 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 which in a sense made it legal for a contractor to use a spin-off company if he so desired and the 24- 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 hour lockout—all of these things were just crippling to a union. 1929 Installation of gas transmission lines from Viking to Edmonton, Alberta. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 —Jack Hubler, Business Agent, United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 488, about circumstances 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 which gave rise to the ‘Dandelions’ in the 1980s 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 26 27 28 Preserving our past
Who we are For further information The Alberta Labour History Institute (ALHI) was formed in 1999 in 1972. In September 2003, Levi-Strauss announced that it Contact our President Dave Werlin at 780-483-8999 or by a group of trade unionists, community activists, archivists would be moving all of its North American manufacturing [email protected]. and historians, who decided to take the first steps to collect, jobs to Haiti. The Edmonton plant closed in March 2004, preserve and publicize the stories of Alberta’s working people and marking the end of an important era in Edmonton’s history. their organizations. We incorporated under the Societies Act and In partnership with the University of Alberta’s Work and are governed by a board that has been growing steadily. Learning Network and Don Bouzek of Ground Zero To donate, send a cheque to: Projections, we have been working to preserve the history of the GWG/Levi’s plant and the stories of its workers. Joanne Janzen, Administrator Alberta Labour History Institute · Labour History Map: A new effort, this travelling map will 6, 1 1 1 Street What we do be built by rank and file members who contribute Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1C9 their insight and experiences helping to define where we ALHI has done considerable work to spread the story of unions Phone: 780-420-1400 are today. and cultural communities by capturing the life stories of workers and trade unionists on film and in print, collecting and archiving records and artifacts of trade union and working class history, organizing Labour History Day as part of ALHI Calendar 2005 Edmonton’s History Week, and publishing and distributing a How can you support ALHI? Labour History Calendar. We also provide speakers, displays and This is the fourth edition of the Alberta Labour History walking tours on labour history for conferences, meetings ALHI began its work with funding from a number of sources, Institute calendar. The purpose of the calendar is to and other events, and are committed to building research capacity including Alberta Culture, unions and individuals. Even though create an awareness of the Institute and the work with which for history students. Some examples of recent and on-going volunteers conduct most of our work, we require on-going we are involved. projects include: support to continue our activities. Please consider some of the following ways in which you can become part of this effort: The cover photograph is from the Glenbow Museum collection. · An Oral History Project: As part of our ongoing efforts to The photograph is of the 1929 installation of gas transmission preserve our history, ALHI has been interviewing labour Make a financial donation to support the work of HI. lines from Viking to Edmonton, Alberta. activists of years past. This project has captured the voices · Submit a bulk order for our next Labour History Calendar, and stories of dozens of Albertans who have played a vital Photos courtesy of Glenbow Museum, United Brotherhood either for resale or distribution to your officers and role in union and working class history. of Carpenters and Joiners Local 1325, United Food and members. Commercial Workers Union, Edmonton Archives, and · A City Called Home website: ALHI contributed pictures, · Invite a representative of ALHI to make a presentation at Donalda Cassel. oral history clips, timelines of events and other information your next meeting or educational event (PowerPoint and to “A City Called Home,” Edmonton’s 2004 centennial video available). Calendar Committee: Donalda Cassel, Alvin Finkel, project. Our contributions ensured that the struggles Jack Hubler, Ron Patterson, Gordie Thomas, Eugene Plawiuk, and successes of the working people of Edmonton were · Provide names and contact information of individuals who and Dave Werlin. not forgotten. should be interviewed. · Piece by Piece—The GWG Story: The Great Western · Form a Labour History Committee to spearhead union Calendar designed by Sheila P. Morrison. Garment (GWG) Company was established in Edmonton in history work in your organization. ALHI can provide 1911, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Levi’s technical assistance in this regard.
Alberta Labour History Institute