The 1921 New Westminster Teachers’ Strike, Podcast Ep. 5
In 1921, 88 public school teachers (most of them young women) initiated a five-day strike to demand recognition of their union and the right to arbitration in salary negotiations. Their unprecedented action was only the second recorded teachers’ strike in Canada. This episode of On the Line examines the dispute’s origins, the teachers’ demands, and the enduring legacy of their action.
Publication date: February 1, 2021
Podcast length: 27:10
Hosted by: Rod Mickleburgh
Research and writing by: Patricia Wejr and Rod Mickleburgh
Production by: John Mabbott
Host Rod Mickleburgh sets the context of the dispute, highlighting the teachers’ frustration with a school board that refused to engage in collective bargaining despite the existence of provincial legislation permitting arbitration. The teachers, organized under the New Westminster Teachers’ Association, were met with opposition by board chair T.J. Trapp, who cited budgetary constraints as a justification for rejecting negotiations. When efforts at resolution failed, the teachers withdrew their labour, closing all nine of the city’s schools and affecting over 3,000 students.
The episode includes commentary from former BC Teachers’ Federation president Ken Novakowski, who explains how the strike was both a test of newly enacted arbitration laws and a formative event for the BCTF. Notable elements of the strike included strong public support, solidarity from other teachers’ associations across Canada, and the eventual success of the teachers’ demands. The board agreed to recognize the teachers’ union, negotiate collectively, and submit unresolved salary issues to arbitration—resulting in increased wages that brought New Westminster in line with surrounding districts.
Firsthand memories from descendants and participants, including 104-year-old Margaret Brunette and retired teacher Marjorie Watt, offer personal insight into the social atmosphere of the time and the challenges faced by striking women workers. The episode concludes with reflections from local union president Sarah Wethered, who emphasizes the lasting significance of the strike for both gender equity in education and the formation of the BCTF’s reserve fund.
This episode situates the New Westminster teachers’ strike as a foundational event in public sector unionism in BC, notable for its impact on collective bargaining rights and the visibility it gave to women’s leadership within the labour movement.