Discussions

McKenzie Seeds:  
 
The name “McKenzie Seeds” can be seen across town, and is no doubt a Landmark being that it was the tallest structure, including the Evans Clock Tower for many years. Jiffy International has recently purchased it and although Mr. Scott Hildebrand, a company spokesman says they intend to stay in Brandon they have to vacate their heritage building and build a new facility, which is on one level. Following is a snapshot of the history of the Labour/Management of this important company in the city of Brandon.  
 
The Strike at A. E. McKenzie Company February 1944.  
 
This Company opened in 1896 as a Flour, Grain and Feed business. In 1896, Mr. A. E. McKenzie inherited the business from his father and converted it to a seed house, and called it the Brandon Seed House. The new firm processed both field and packet seeds, but later specialized in packet seeds, and by the 1940’s were the dominant producer in the Canadian packet seed market, with distribution facilities in Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Toronto, and Winnipeg.  
In 1945, the Company was made a Crown Corporation when 90 percent of the Shares were transferred to the Manitoba Government as part of an arrangement in 1939 to secure funding for Brandon College. Mr. McKenzie ran the firm until just before his death in 1962.  
Mr. McKenzie was an Autocratic employer, he cared for his employees, but did not tolerate any opposition, his word was law, no body could tell him any thing, and it was his world.  
In January 1940, the company’s production workforce consisted of eighteen men and eighteen women. These numbers had increased to thirty-two men and fifty-three women by January 1945. The men processed the seeds on the fifth floor, and when they were ready they were transferred to the third floor for the women to pack them for shipping. The work force was segregated. Most of the men employed were farmers and agricultural workers who only worked during the winter season. In contrast, the women lived locally in Brandon. In 1940 the wage Structure was 30 cents per hour for experienced male workers, and 25 cents per hour for inexperienced ones. Women’s wages were governed in accordance with the Minimum Wage Regulations. It ranged from 18 ¾ cents per hour for the first three months rising to a maximum of 25 cents per hour after 9 months of employment. When the Second World War broke out women found their wages frozen at the 1940’s rate. In February 1944 the women workers demanded a pay raise, and Mr. James Leslie of the Manitoba Minimum Wage Board conciliated a wage adjustment from the Company, and the Company agreed to the following rates of pay. For a 48-hour week from $10 to $10.70 an hour, for workers with 4 to 8 months experience $11 to $11.73 an hour for workers with eight to 12 months experience, and $12 to $12.90 an hour for workers with over 12 months experience. The beginner’s rate remained at 18 ¾ cents per hour or nine dollars a week. When the proposal was shown to the 35 female employees on 22 February 1944 they rejected it and proceeded to Strike. The Brandon Sun reported the strike under the headline, “Girl Employees of Seed Firm Walk Out – Parade their Grievances Around Town.” The girls carried Placards, which said they were under paid and they demanded 25 cents per hour for a 48-hour week. They stated there was a deficiency of toilets in the McKenzie building. The First Aid Kit was under lock and key, and they were expected to provide their own soap. They had no rest periods, and when they eat their meals stray cats pestered them.  
Mr. A. E. McKenzie blamed the Walk Out on a few ‘radicals’, some girls who had been hired on a temporary basis. He said the girls were receiving more than the minimum wage rates plus a cost of living bonus. He could not believe that the young women he employed would attack his wisdom and authority. He blamed the Strike on outside influences, but an R.C.M.P. Report said that there was no Union involved, no evidence of “any communist influences,” and no likelihood of violence.  
The minimum wage board assured the Girls that the situation at the seed plant would improve so they went back to work, but that was a lie. Working conditions and pay stayed relatively the same as before. On January 13th, 1945 male workers earned between 32.5 to 50 cents an hour, with 24 of the 32 men receiving 45 to 50 cents an hour. In contrast, the women received basically the same wage as before the Strike. 28 of the 53 girls received $11 for a 48-hour week, and another 21 received $12 a week. By January 1946 there had been changes in the Manitoba Minimum Wage Law, and this saw the women at the plant receive weekly rates from $9.50 to $17.40. This meant that for some of the women, their increase in pay from 1945 to 1946 was 20 per cent or better. Experienced workers saw their weekly pay rates increase from $12 to $14.40. Although these figures show a great improvement in wage rates for the women with experience in 1946, the average weekly wage only increased by a measly 50 cents, or from $11.66 to $12.16. This was because of a high rate of turnover, (many women quit) which placed 24 of the 56 women on the payroll at the bottom pay rate of $9.60 per week.  
 
Source: Labour Struggles of the Girls by Councillor Black, A Historical Essay on Labour in Brandon.  
 
http://www.ckxtv.com/news_story.php?id=12399&Picture=0&PHPSESSID=1e59aba4c3c4aae04b08b2494bc196ad  
 
http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/hrb/prov/p030.html