The Winnipeg General Strike If you answered the homework questions this should be review Only take notes on what you think you need It is up to you The violence to come http wwwyoutubecomwatchvWDXOOXDpGIampsafetymodetrue ID: 347222
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Slide1
More labour unrest: The Winnipeg General Strike
If you answered the homework questions, this should be review. Only take notes on what you think you need! It is up to you! Slide2
The violence to come…
http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDXOOX-DpGI&safety_mode=true
What problems did returning soldiers face?
What was their solution?
What problems did unions face?Slide3
Winnipeg…
On May 1
st
, 1919, the Building & Metal Trades Councils voted to go on strike
. Despite the risks of strikes, in June of 1919, thousands of workers walked off the job in 1919 in Winnipeg
How did it become a “general strike?”Slide4
Meanwhile, in Russia…
A group of radicals called the
Bolsheviks
overthrew the government
Their goal was to give power to the working people
How is this significant to Canada?
The Canadian government feared workers’ unrest would get out of control here as wellSlide5
Immigration
Immigration
had increased because of the war,
so Canada made new policies that
discouraged European immigrants and their ideas. This fear of immigrants is called xenophobiaBritish immigrants were still encouraged but Jewish refugees and Russian or Asian immigrants were unwelcome
The Canadian government was afraid Bolshevik ideas would reach Canada and start a revolution
What is the Riot Act?Slide6
Back to Winnipeg!
When things in Winnipeg started to heat up, immigrant workers could be arrested and deported under the suspicion of trying to cause of
revolution, which was stated in the
Riot Act.
The government did not have to have proof. Parades and demonstrations were bannedWinnipeg was split into employers & owners vs. employees and unionsThe strike dragged on for 37 days! The Mounties began to raid and arrest union leadersSlide7
Saturday June 21
st
: workers had
a parade to protest the arrest of union leaders (but parades were banned). T
he mayor of Winnipeg called the Mounties in to settle the crowd. They fired on the crowd, one man was killed, 30 injured and hundreds were arrested.
Bloody Saturday
What message would this send to
other workers unions?
TPSSlide8
The End Result
Hundreds of strikers were arrested on Bloody Saturday. Three days later, they went back to their jobs.
Was the strike successful?
Demands! The reason workers went on strike was to improve their working conditions. They were asking for:
Better wages (85c an hour)
An 8 hour work dayCollective bargaining power
Are these demands unreasonable?Slide9
Homework:
How many of you have a part time job?
What are your rights as a worker in Canada?
Compare these with the rights of the workers we’ve learned about. Slide10
Conclusions:
The Winnipeg Strike did not give workers what they wanted, but over time, working conditions did begin to improve
.
Some of the reasons for this
are: the reduction of drinking on the job (prohibition) the popularization of unions the invention of the assembly line for mass production.
Something to look forward to…
The economy picks up around 1924 and Canada enters a period of celebration and post-war prosperity
Tomorrow’s topic!