June 21, 1919 Named Bloody Saturday in Winnipeg
6/21/2009 at 8:33 AM
marks the defeat of the Winnipeg General Strike.
The province had not settled down to a happy go lucky society after the Second World War. The inhabitants of the provinces two major cities were in a restiveness mood, and a growing turmoil in Winnipeg suddenly erupted in to violence on May 15th.
Local Brandon Labour Officials stated: “No strike vote will be taken here!” Just nine days later, while confusion reigned in Brandon once again, (a previous Brandon Strike had ended at midnight on April 26th) a sympathy walk out began.
The first group to walk were the Telephone Operators, closely followed by the Teamsters. Next, the city was plunged into darkness when seventeen power plant firemen quit. A Strike committee took control, and announced that only authorized deliveries were to be permitted.
The ice dealers were prevented from serving their regular customers, and the Medical Health Officer Mr. E. S. Bolton pleaded with the strikers to consider what their actions might be doing to infant lives.
The ‘Sun’ did not strike because in an Editorial they declared, “A few men have prostituted their positions, and usurped authority that was never invested in them.” City Hall was almost deserted after its civic employees walked out, followed by fire department personnel who left their Stations.
Again, as in the previous strike volunteers offered their services, but the brewing company workers, C.P.R. shop men, and C.N.R. messengers joined the sympathetic demonstration.
In retaliation the Telephone System issued an ultimatum to its striking Operators to resume their positions, or lose them forever. City council had a worker replacement plan, and offered civic posts to former employees, and then began filling the vacated places with strikers who were told to work, or otherwise they were finished. Rumours of intimidation followed acceptance of such reinstatements.
At a mass meeting in the Opera House Mayor McDiarmid refused to recognise the Strike Committee. Union spokesman Brother Fred Baker blamed the “Sun”, and roared, “Labour men have been condemned by the yellow press of Brandon, and we will not stand for it!”
As well he protested the arrest of nine Winnipeg strike leaders, including three Russians, and the contentious Mr. William Ivens, calling for their immediate release.
Quite suddenly on June 25th the Winnipeg strike was over, and while Brandon sympathisers hesitated, a statement from His Worship the Mayor pointed out that because City Council had never received a proper Declaration, striking civic employees had therefore deserted their posts.
In addition, the Aldermen refused to reinstate the workers, or withdraw an Agreement renouncing “sympathetic” activities.
This led to yet another Labour offensive, Pumping House coal handlers quit, and another mass meeting was called. Mr. H. M. Bartholemew urged the strikers to “Stand pat,” while Socialist Baker said the strike would end if all ‘slave pacts’ were suppressed.
The Reverend A. E. Smith, who had resigned from the Methodist Church so that he could serve in a Labour Temple, spoke up. “We have everything except justice.” President Broadhurst of the Civic Employees Union avowed: “Winnipeg may be beaten, but it is now our fight.”
The labour dispute had run its course, many ‘Bread Winners’ had resigned from the Trades, and Labour Council to return to their former positions, but then followed a rash of stoned domicile windows.
Late in the night of June 30th a raid on the Fraternal Hall, and the Record Printing Company offices by Mounted Police was carried out to seize literature, and books described as ‘sedious material’.
Also at the same time armed with Search Warrants, lawmen raided the homes of railroaders, Mr. T. Hancock, and Mr. Fred Baker.
Only Mr. Baker placed a grievance, he claimed some money disappeared from his home. This was the final straw that caused the five week long demonstration to ‘peter out’ after the citizens of Brandon lost interest, and city industry spluttered back to normal.
Source: Brandon a city by G. F. Barker.
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