Lesson Plan: The Early Labour Movement in BC, Les débuts du mouvement syndical en C-B
This comprehensive educational resource explores the origins and evolution of the labour movement in British Columbia during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The lesson examines the working conditions, struggles, and achievements of workers during this period, highlighting key events and figures in the province’s labour history.
This document is a valuable background resource for all of the lesson plans in our Working People Lesson Plans series.
Beginning with the Hudson’s Bay Company and its first wage workers, both Indigenous and European, the material traces how workers began organizing for better conditions despite long hours, low pay, and lack of rights. It covers pivotal moments such as the Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858, the dangerous coal mining industry and repeated strikes against the Dunsmuir company, and the rise of both craft unions and industrial unions. It also addresses the divisive role of racism, particularly the exploitation of Asian workers as strikebreakers, which weakened worker solidarity.
Students learn about the emergence of radical movements like the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and the founding of the BC Federation of Labour in 1910. The lesson also explores the impact of World War I on labour, which initially suppressed organizing but later fueled renewed activism. Through historical vignettes, discussion questions, and suggested readings, this resource highlights how the sacrifices and activism of early workers laid the foundation for rights and protections enjoyed today.