Solidarity Times, 1983
Solidarity Times published nine editions between October and December 1983. The newspaper was financed by Operation Solidarity and the BC Teachers’ Federation. It also published paid advertisements from a variety of unions and businesses. At its peak it sold 3,000 copies weekly.
View copies of Solidarity Times:
Solidarity Times 1983-10-15
Solidarity Times 1983-10-26
Solidarity Times 1983-11-02
Solidarity Times 1983-11-09
Solidarity Times 1983-11-16
Solidarity Times 1983-11-23
Solidarity Times 1983-11-30
Solidarity Times 1983-12-07
Solidarity Times 1983-12-14
Solidarity Times’ editor was Stan Persky and the City Editor was Keith Baldrey. Other contributors included:
● John Mackie
● Tom Hawthorn
● Debbie Wilson
● Bev Davies
● Trish Webb
● Bob Bierman
Solidarity Times published articles on a wide range of social issues and operated from a left-wing perspective. It successfully won membership in the legislative press gallery after much debate.
In its first issue, Solidarity Times promoted itself as a newspaper, “that speaks with the voice of the other half, the half that didn’t vote for you-know-who. A paper that believes in worker’s rights. Women’s rights. The rights of the elderly. Of the sick. Gay rights. Children’s rights. Human Rights.” It promised to share “viewpoints that are provocative instead of infuriating.”
Some of the topics covered by Solidarity Times included:
● Analysis of the July 1983 legislative package which triggered Operation Solidarity
● Threats to democratic rights
● Unemployment Action Centres
● Homelessness
● Women’s Rights
● Rent Control
● Addiction
● Co-op Housing
Operation Solidarity’s leadership stopped financing the paper in December 1983 and it closed.