Arthur Turner – International Association of Machinists, One Big Union, Co-operative Commonwealth Federation

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Arthur Turner, a coppersmith, was a socialist and trade unionist who came to Canada from England in 1913. He was a member of the International Association of Machinists at the shipyards in Victoria, before relocating to Vancouver. He joined the One Big Union (O.B.U.) and was vice president of the Victoria Shipbuilders’ unit. Turner was politically active in the Federated Labor Party, the Canadian Labor Party, the Independent Labor Party, Independent Labor Party (Socialist) and the Socialist Party of Canada, joining the C.C.F.(Co-operative Commonwealth Federation) when it was formed in 1933 and then the N.D.P. (New Democratic Party) in 1961. Turner was C.C.F. and N.D.P. M.L.A. for Vancouver East for 25 years (1941-1966). In this interview he describes the origins, rise and decline of the One Big Union, as well as various labour-socialist parties in British Columbia. He relates an incident at a large anti-conscription meeting in Victoria during World War One when it was raided by soldiers, and another when Quebec conscripts were forced at gunpoint to board a ship in Victoria for the Russian front during World War One.

Keywords: Esquimalt, Yarrows, Foundation Company, International Association of Machinists (I.A.M.), Sheet Metal Workers, One Big Union (O.B.U.), international unions, Russian Revolution, German Revolution, Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, Western Labor Conference, longshoremen’s union, shipbuilding, Trades and Labor Council (Vancouver), B.C. Federationist, Trades and Labor Council (Victoria), Willows Camp, conscription, Columbia Theatre, Vladivostok, Socialist Party of Canada, Federated Labor Party, Canadian Labor Party, Independent Labor Party, Independent Labor Party (Socialist), C.C.F.(Co-operative Commonwealth Federation), Third International