1991 legal victory by the HEU broadened the definition of “spouse” Researched and written by Natasha Fairweather As early as 1989 the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) had successfully negotiated medical benefits for same-sex partners into collective agreements. Without legal protection, however, recognition of these relationships was up to each Read more…
Worker walkout in 1918 fueled by western labour militancy Researched and written by Donna Sacuta On February 18, 1918, two hundred oil refinery workers at Ioco, B.C. — 30 kilometres east of Vancouver — walked out. It was an expression of the labour militancy spreading across western Canada at the Read more…
How a childhood union button collection played a part in an epic Supreme Court of Canada decision David Yorke began collecting union buttons at the age of 11, when his mother brought home membership pins from her work at the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union (UFAWU). Little did Yorke Read more…
The first Dominion Postal Clerks Association was formed in Vancouver in 1911. During the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, the Association was on the front lines with the letter carriers resulting in 700 postal workers losing their jobs. The Canadian Postal Employees Association (CPEA) was formed in 1931, and in 1944 Read more…
Researched and written by Natasha Fairweather Diving in to 100 Years of Garment Work The early 1900s was a time of rapid industrialization in Canada and around the world. Clothing production became mechanized, and garment workers – largely women, often immigrants from Europe – were subjected to inhumane conditions in Read more…