Charter Rights

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 …

The Postman

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 …

Vancouver’s Garment Industry

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 …

The Labor Statesman: A Greater Destiny

The Labor Statesman1, owned by the Vancouver, New Westminster and District Trades and Labor Council (VTLC), cost five cents to purchase, or 20-week subscriptions could be had for one dollar. In the first issue April 25, 1924—a hefty 12 pages—the …

Miners’ Union Hospitals in B.C.

Researched and written by Donna Sacuta Additional research by Greg Nesteroff Hospitals run co-operatively “for use rather than profit” Miners’ Union Hospitals were a radical response to the critical need for inclusive health care in B.C.’s mining communities more than …