Lloyd Edwards immigrated to Canada in 1953 from his birthplace in Trinidad and Tobago. After obtaining a degree from the University of British Columbia he became a teacher and eventually became active in both his local union and the BC Teachers’ Federation. Edwards’ father had been a teacher and a Read more…
On February 1, 1975 members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), at CKLG AM Radio (known as “LG73”) in Vancouver went on strike for a first contract. The disc jockeys and news staff walked out, locked the doors and left a pro-union song playing on-air in a continuous Read more…
Did you know that October is Women’s History Month in Canada? This year’s theme is #MakeAnImpact – we would like to highlight a woman in BC’s labour history who certainly did just that. Helena Gutteridge, ca. 1911 – City of Vancouver Archives [371-2693] The 1912 recession was difficult for all Read more…
The On-to-Ottawa Trek in 1935 is a fabled part of Canada’s social history. Thousands of unemployed men, frustrated with the lack of compassion from government to their plight, boarded CPR freight trains in Vancouver with a plan to confront Prime Minister RB Bennett in Ottawa. After receiving a cool reception Read more…
by Rod Mickleburgh Originally published in the Mickleblog August 2, 2018 At 12 o’clock sharp on Aug. 2, 1918 – one hundred years ago today –Vancouver transit operators stopped their streetcars in mid-route, drove them to the barns and walked home. The city’s normally bustling waterfront fell silent, as 2,000 Read more…