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BC at Work, Episode 6, was first broadcast on October 9, 1988. It was produced by Michael Morgan and Associates and Shane Lunny Productions for the BC Federation of Labour as a public affairs television program comprising 13 episodes. Twelve...Video
BC at Work, Episode 5, was first broadcast on October 2, 1988. It was produced by Michael Morgan and Associates and Shane Lunny Productions for the BC Federation of Labour as a public affairs television program comprising 13 episodes.Video
This two-part interview is with Rod Mickleburgh, a labour reporter who covered major labour events in British Columbia in the 1970s and 1980s. During his journalism career, he covered the labour beat at the Vancouver Sun, The Province, CBC National...Video
This two-part interview is with Rod Mickleburgh, a labour reporter who covered major labour events in British Columbia in the 1970s and 1980s. During his journalism career, he covered the labour beat at the Vancouver Sun, The Province, CBC National...Video
BC at Work, Episode 4, was first broadcast on September 25, 1988. It was produced by Michael Morgan and Associates and Shane Lunny Productions for the BC Federation of Labour as a public affairs television program comprising 13 episodes.Video
Mike Old was born in Calgary to school teacher parents, who were both involved with their union and in progressive politics. He was heavily involved in student politics at the University of Calgary, which set the foundation for his future...Video
Preserving Our Past, Preparing Our Future records the history of the BC Labour Heritage Centre from its establishment in 2004. The video was produced in 2019 in partnership with WorkSafeBC.Video
Pam Smith, a professional genealogist from Yorkshire, England, had no idea she was related to a celebrated activist in Canada until author Roger Stonebanks came knocking. She knew that her great-grandfather George had a brother who went abroad, but the...Video
BC at Work, Episode 3, was first broadcast on September 18, 1988. It was produced by Michael Morgan and Associates and Shane Lunny Productions for the BC Federation of Labour as a public affairs television program. This episode was filmed...Video
There's never a bad time to talk about unions! This 60-second video, produced by the National Union of Provincial Government Employees (NUPGE), is timely and to introduces young people to the importance of unions.Teaching materialsVideo
"Ghosts" from British Columbia's past visit a new union member to remind them why "labour history matters" in this clever video produced in 2018. Viewers are reminded of the many historical achievements of the labour movement, and why being an...Video
Stephen Kelleher recounts the story of his career, from growing up in a non-union family to becoming chair of the British Columbia Labour Relations Board in the 1980s and 2000s. He also discusses his activities since retiring from his position...Video
BC at Work, Episode 2, was first broadcast on September 11, 1988. It was produced by Michael Morgan and Associates and Shane Lunny Productions for the BC Federation of Labour as a public affairs television program comprising 13 episodes. Twelve...Video
BC at Work, Episode 8, was first broadcast on October 23, 1988. It was produced by Michael Morgan and Associates and Shane Lunny Productions for the BC Federation of Labour as a public affairs television program comprising 13 episodes. Twelve...Video
In this conversation, Colin Gabelmann and Ron Johnson describe the difficult relationship between the BC Federation of Labour and the BC NDP leadership from the 1960s through the 1980s. Gabelmann and Johnson are both retired staffers from the BC Fed,...Video
The interview covers Larry Kuehn's extensive involvement with labour and social justice organizations beyond his work with the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF). His time as president of the BCTF is covered in an earlier interview, available in our BCTF Past...Video
This nine-minute video is a tribute to the life and legacy of Jack Munro (1931-2013), a powerful and iconic figure in the British Columbia labour movement.Video
This rare interview with Lew Perry was featured in BC at Work, a public affairs television program produced in 1988 by the BC Federation of Labour. Perry designed a replica rocket that won grand prize in the 1936 “Parade of...Video
Deborah Bourque’s extensive involvement in the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), includes serving as its national president from 2002 to 2008. She describes the challenges CUPW faced in negotiating collective agreements and fighting against government legislation that threatened the...Video
The interview covers David Yorke's participation in two pivotal legal challenges, as well as the various labour history projects he has been involved in since his retirement. Two prior interviews by the BC Teachers’ Federation History Project Group cover his...Video
In this interview Blair Redlin recounts his extensive experience in the labour movement and public service. He was raised in Calgary and attended the University of Calgary in the late 1970s. He studied political science and was involved in student...Video
Stephanie Smith was the first elected woman president of the BC General Employees Union (BCGEU) in its over 100-year history, holding the post from from 2014 to 2024. Born in Canada and educated in New Zealand, Stephanie attended teacher’s college...Video
In this interview conducted by Sean Griffin, Vi (Violet) Cordoni describes her history of singing for her community. Vi was born in 1938 in Drumheller, Alberta to Hungarian-Canadian parents. She describes her Hungarian family’s experience of immigrating and then having...Video
Irene Lanzinger grew up in Kelowna, B.C. She studied physics at the University of British Columbia and worked as a meteorologist before becoming a teacher. She taught in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Abbotsford, and Vancouver. Irene’s union activism with B.C. Teachers’...Video
Colin was born in northern England in 1940. His working-class consciousness developed at an early age. At 16, he apprenticed as a shipwright and during his apprenticeship participated in a short strike. Colin’s father died in the war, but his...Video
Fred Wilson recounts his life and work in the labour movement, including his early involvement with the Young Communist League, his time as a labour reporter at the Pacific Tribune, his role in the Operation Solidarity movement, and his work...Video
Sucha Singh Deepak was born in 1948 in Punjab, India and immigrated to Canada in 1970, where he worked in lumber mills in Quesnel, B.C. and Fort St. James, B.C. This interview was conducted by Dr. George Davison on Dec...Video
Barbara Stevens grew up in a fishing community on the Fraser River in British Columbia. Her father, Homer Stevens, was a leader in the fishing industry and the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union (UFAWU). Barbara shares stories from her...Video
This video tells the life story of Lloyd O'Brien. After losing his leg in an industrial accident at 18, Lloyd recognized the critical need for proper emergency medical care, leading him to become a part-time ambulance driver.Video
In 1981, teachers in Terrace, British Columbia, went on a six-day strike, at a time when the right to strike had not yet been achieved. Local teacher associations primarily negotiated wages, with unresolved issues going to binding arbitration; working conditions...Video
This 13-minute video chronicles the evolution of safety measures in British Columbia's fishing industry, highlighting the significant challenges and eventual improvements in working conditions for fishers.Video
Dire working conditions and unfair treatment fueled a movement to advocate for BC farmworkers’ rights in the 1970s, soon becoming the Canadian Farmworkers Union, a first in Canada.Video
This 11-minute video provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the fishing industry in British Columbia, focusing on the evolution of health and safety for shoreworkers.Video
This 8-minute video tells the story of the one-day strike by Surrey teachers in 1974 that had a profound effect on public education across the province. With less than 24-hours notice, over 1,000 teachers left their classrooms, travelled to the...Video
This 27-minute video chronicles the immense challenges faced by the BC Government Employees’ Union (BCGEU) in the previous decade when public sector unions were under attack from neo-liberal policies of government.Video
Verna Ledger got her first job in 1953 at a plywood mill in New Westminster, BC. She found the working conditions challenging due to the noise, dust, and strong chemical smells from resins that caused breathing difficulties.Video
Produced by the United Steelworkers, a full decade before asbestos was banned in Canada, the video "Asbestos: The Silent Killer" discusses the harmful effects of asbestos exposure on workers, particularly those from the Trail, BC smelter.Video
A poignant tribute to the four carpenters who tragically lost their lives in the Bentall IV tower construction accident in downtown Vancouver on January 7, 1981. The video highlights the victims, the accident, the aftermath and legacy.Video
Clay Perry (1934-2015) was passionate about preserving and promoting BC labour history. In 1988 he recorded humourous segments for a television program produced by the BC Federation of Labour titled "BC at Work" that presented issues from the perspective of...Video
Produced by the BC Federation of Labour Health and Safety Centre, this video describes the history behind the April 28 Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job, which began in Canada and is now observed around...Video
This 24-minute video documents the widespread unemployment and economic hardship experienced in Canada, particularly in British Columbia, during the Great Depression.Video
This 10-minute video features poignant interviews with workers who survived the catastrophic collapse of the Second Narrows Bridge (now the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge) in 1958. They recount the harrowing moments of the disaster, detailing the sounds, the immediate chaos, and...Video
Jack Munro (1931-2013), a prominent BC union figure, shares his life's journey and career, highlighting his dedicated work in championing workers' rights and enhancing workplace safety within the forest industry.Video
In the 1960s, court injunctions became a prevalent tactic used by employers to control labour. This led to frequent jailings of union leaders for defying these injunctions. Sean Griffin humorously recounts a common anecdote of a judge granting an injunction...Video
In 1987, the Social Credit government in British Columbia introduced a new Labour Code that significantly impacted the labour movement. The new Code abolished the Labour Relations Board, replacing it with an Industrial Relations Council that held extensive authority to...Video
The Great Depression of the 1930s severely impacted British Columbia, leading to a widespread economic collapse and mass unemployment across Canada. Many young men traveled to the West Coast, seeking refuge from the hardship in the milder climate. This video...Video
In 1983, the British Columbia Social Credit government announced the closure of the Tranquille Institution in Kamloops, BC, a facility housing over 300 residents with developmental disabilities, as part of a broader cut in social services. This video is part...Video
Using archival images and personal stories, this 26-minute video was created in 2011 by BC Overtime Productions. The film discusses the historical struggles and ongoing importance of unions in BC. It highlights the deplorable working conditions workers faced before unions,...Video
Created in 2013, this video chronicles the history of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in British Columbia (BC).Video
A tribute to Sarbjit Sidhu, Amarjeet Kaur Bal, and Sukhwinder Kaur Punia, who tragically died in a van accident on March 7, 2007. The crash, which occurred on the Trans-Canada Highway in British Columbia, involved a van carrying 17 farmworkers.Video
In this seven-minute video, retired logger Al Lundgren shares his experiences and contributions to health and safety in the logging industry. Al began his career in the woods in 1962, where he notes the initial lack of formal safety training.Video
A deeply personal story is set against a broader historical backdrop of asbestos use and its devastating consequences in Canada. The video implicitly and explicitly touches on a historical narrative that explains why Dave Ford, and so many others became...Video
Asbestos is the leading cause of death in today’s workplace. Because diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis can take decades to appear, it will continue to be a killer for many more years. This video is part of our Labour...Video
In the 1940s, British Columbia's sawmills and logging camps were marked by racial division and discriminatory policies targeting workers of Chinese, Japanese, and South Asian descent, often supported by the labour movement at the time. The International Woodworkers of America...Video
In 2002, BC’s Liberal provincial government broke its promise to healthcare workers by tearing up their collective agreements, paving the way for widespread contracting-out and privatization in health care. This video is part of our Labour Heritage Moments series.Video
Ginger Goodwin's murder is a cornerstone of BC's labour history, resonating for over a century. Goodwin is remembered as BC’s first labour martyr, a leader who took a principled stand against a war he didn't believe in, advocating instead for...Video
The story of the "Bows and Arrows" Indigenous longshoremen is a prominent part of BC's labour history. A significant portion of British Columbia's early workforce until the late 19th century was Indigenous, excelling in various physically demanding jobs including mining,...Video
Produced by Barna-Alper Productions, this documentary tells the story of the 1983 Solidarity protests in BC. The film follows the mobilization of the Operation Solidarity Coalition, as labour and community groups joined against the Social Credit government's austerity budget and...Video
The learning curve was steep for Gary Johnson. As a young man he learned the ropes for leadership in the trade union movement starting at age 18. Before he was 20 years old he was president of Local 454 of...Video
Bob Waghorn grew up in North Vancouver. In this interview, he shares memories of accompanying his Teamster father, the last milkman in Vancouver to deliver milk by horse. He trained as a mechanic and his early jobs were as a...Video
Lorna Waghorn-Kidd was born in Prince Rupert but grew up in various towns throughout northern British Columbia. She moved to Prince George in 1976 where she got a job as a typist at an employment insurance office, then with the...Video
Terry was born and raised in Prince George, British Columbia. As a young man, he was in the Air Force for a couple of years and worked in various mills. He became a provincial government employee when he started working...Video
Wayne Mills is a second-generation operating engineer with decades of involvement in the labour movement. In this interview, Wayne discusses his early training and work experiences operating large cranes on various construction projects across British Columbia, including dams and mines....Video
Born in a small farming community is Northern Saskatchewan, Frank ventured to Quesnel in 1971. He was 18 years old when he arrived and was looking for work in the forest industry. The first job was in a planer mill...Video
Terry Engler recounts his experiences growing up in a working-class family in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and his involvement with the Local 400 union, which represents tugboat workers on the West Coast. He describes the day-to-day work of a tugboat cook,...Video
Vince Ready is a legendary labour relations practitioner who has arbitrated and mediated several thousand disputes across Canada in all types of industries. Vince was born in Renfrew Ontario and lived on a farm with his parents and siblings until...Video
Sandra Banister was born and raised in Vancouver; her mother was a stay-at-home mum and her father was an IBEW lineman. Sandra got an undergraduate degree in political science and then a law degree at UBC, articling with John Laxton...Video
This interview with Leo McGrady, a prominent labour lawyer in British Columbia, covers his extensive career and involvement in the labour movement. He describes his early life and upbringing in an Irish Catholic family, and how social justice issues influenced...Video
Garry Worth was a red diaper baby whose father joined the Labour Progressive Party (a front for the Communist Party) in 1946. Garry was born and raised on Vancouver Island where his father worked in logging. When he finished high...Video
Neil Menard was born in Nipawin, in northern Saskatchewan. Neil joined the navy and served as signalman on the HMCS Fraser and the HMCS St. Laurent. When he returned from the navy, Neil worked a few years alternating between hockey...Video
Jackie Campbell was born and raised in Vancouver, but it was in Sointula that she became acquainted with the fishing and shorework industries. Jackie packed salmon roe for a small business, shared childcare with her cooperative community, and was introduced...Video
In this interview, Dan Miller reflects on his varied and influential career. In his youth his family moved often, and he figures he attended 12 or 13 different schools. Graduating high school in North Vancouver, Dan briefly worked on tugboats...Video
Roger Stonebanks grew up in a conservative family in England and attended boarding school. He learned the value of organizing when, as a young boy, he organized a boycott to demand better food at school. The boycott failed, but the...Video
Laird Cronk, a former president of the BC Federation of Labour, begins this interview with a memory from his junior high school days when his father, an electrician and business representative for the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) woke...Video
In this interview, Shan O’Hara describes his experiences in the construction industry as a floor layer and union organizer. He discusses his early life, particularly the tragic death of his father in an industrial accident, which shaped Shan’s outlook on...Video
Gayle Nye was born and raised in Victoria, BC, as were her parents and grandparents. The earlier generations worked in the fishing industry, but a family tragedy inspired Gayle’s father to leave fishing and join the public service. Gayle’s started...Video
Russ Leech is from a family of strong trade unionists. His parents organized the Machinists’ Fitters & Helpers Industrial Union local in Victoria during World War II. Given his family’s history, it’s not surprising that when Russ got a job...Video
Amber Hockin was born in Brantford, Ontario. She attended elementary school in Kitimat, BC and attended high school in Ontario. Amber left home at 16, and soon after that her interest in travel led her to become a flight attendant....Video
Chris Allnutt’s deep desire to fight for people who can’t fight for themselves and make the world a better place led him to work in the labour movement. This interview was conducted by Rod Mickleburgh on May 7, 2024 in...Video
This interview with Joey Hartman covers her extensive history as an activist and labour leader in British Columbia. Joey discusses her upbringing in Vancouver and her early work experiences in early childhood education. A particularly formative experience was the mentorship...Video
Progressive lawyer Jim Quail first worked for legal aid organizations in BC helping farmworkers and tenants in the late 1970s and 80s. He successfully fought Bill Bennett’s attempt to eliminate tenants’ rights, was a leading participant in the Solidarity Coalition...Video
Sean grew up in Burnaby where he began his political activism early as a paperboy delivering Pacific Tribune newspapers for Harold Pritchett. Sean’s father was the longtime editor of the Pacific Tribune and Sean’s mother was also politically active. Due...Video
In this far-reaching conversation, Lee Loftus discusses his experiences as a third-generation insulator, and union member and executive with the Heat and Frost Insulators Union Local 118 in British Columbia. This interview was conducted by Ken Novakowski on March 19,...Video
David Fairey’s parents were working class immigrants from the U.K. His father was a carpenter and cabinet maker and his mother worked in domestic service, sewing at home, and in furniture and aircraft factories. After he finished high school, David...Video
John Rogers was raised in Kamloops, BC. His father was the local welfare officer and John remembers some of the cases his dad was involved in. He also recalls the First Nations community on the other side of the river....Video
Bill Routley was born in 1948 in Chatham, Ontario. He was the son of two ministers who raised him in Duncan, on Vancouver Island. The treatment of employees at a shoe repair business in Victoria kindled his interest in workers’...Video
Sy Pederson was born into a logging family of fallers in Courtenay and followed the family tradition when he turned 21. Falling was a dangerous job and Sy recognized the hazard posed by the piecework system. He organized fallers in...Video
George Heyman was born in Vancouver to parents who were survivors of the Holocaust. They were assisted by the Japanese Consul in Lithuania, Chiune Sugihara, to escape Poland. George attended high school in Vancouver, working the night shift at Safeway,...Video
Leila Harding was born into a naval officer’s family in Nova Scotia but moved to Victoria as a child. As a young adult, she moved to Vancouver and worked for Fred Deeley Motors, where she had her first involvement with...Video
John Bowman grew up in the north end of Winnipeg and went to the University of Winnipeg studying labour history and journalism. He became active in progressive issues. John edited the student union newspaper while taking a full course load....Video
Tom Dufresne was born and grew up in Montreal. When he was about 15, he started working in a variety of jobs in Montreal including at lawn chair and ladder factories, delivering pop, and roofing. In 1969, he headed to...Video
Elsie Dean, 99 years old at the time of this interview, grew up in Saskatchewan during the 1920s and ‘30s. She describes the impact of the Depression on her family’s livelihood. Educated to Grade 8 in a one-room school, Elsie...Video
Stan Shewaga was born in St. Boniface and grew up in the north end of Winnipeg. After working in Louisiana for a while, he joined the American Army in the fifties, when he was about 17. After he left the...Video
Randy Pearson was born in northern BC to a working-class family. He worked in the lumber mills around Prince George as a young man, before traveling, marrying and getting a unionized job with pension benefits at a BC Liquor Store....Video
Jim Sinclair was born and raised in Ontario, where his early work experiences brought him into conflict with employers and demonstrated the need to advocate for workers. He moved to Vancouver and worked there for Co-op Radio and the Union...Video
In this fascinating and wide-ranging interview with Patricia Wejr, she describes her long career in communications, nursing, reproductive health, and the labour movement. Patricia attended Simon Fraser University for Communications, and while there took a co-op position at Co-Op Radio,...Video
Colleen Jordan was born and raised in southern Alberta. Through her early jobs she saw several examples where union members made more money than non-union, but where men were included in the unions and women were excluded. She studied at...Video
Ivan Limpright was born and grew up in the Fraser Valley. After working for his father driving truck and front-end loaders, he graduated from high school and started working at the Overwaitea warehouse in Burnaby. This interview was conducted by...Video
Geoff grew up in Toronto and Ottawa and had a comfortable middle class upbringing. He became interested in left wing politics when he attended the University of Toronto, where he worked on the university paper and at the student radio...Video
Mark Gordienko was born and raised in Victoria, BC, and this is where he began longshoring at age 18. He worked in Victoria at Ogden Point in longshoring for eight years. After getting married, and due to the shortage of...Video
Brian Nasu, born in Tofino, BC and raised in East Vancouver, grew up in a family deeply connected to the fishing industry. As a young person, Brian started working at an IGA grocery store that was in the process of...Video
Anne Harvey was born in a tenement in Manchester, U.K. Her father made patterns out of wood for casting metal parts, and her mother sewed clothes piecework as he built his pattern making business. Anne moved to Canada with her...Video
In this interview, Bonnie Pearson talks about growing up in Saskatchewan and the early influence of her activist parents. Bonnie details her early union involvement as a national representative with CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) in 1980s; the Devine...Video
Harold Steves was born in Vancouver in 1937 and grew up on his family’s farm in Steveston. It was a diverse farming and fishing community of Japanese, Chinese, Ukrainian, and First Nations families. An early memory of Harold’s just before...Video
John Calvert was born in Oshawa, Ontario and grew up in London, Ontario. In his late teens, he obtained a commercial pilot’s license, which meant that he could help pay for his post-secondary education by working as a bush pilot...Video
Patrice Pratt was born in Ohio in 1948 and grew up in Arizona in a staunchly Catholic family with five children. She attended Catholic schools and moved to San Francisco to attend the University of San Francisco, a Catholic Jesuit...Video
In this 2023 conversation, Colleen Fuller talks about growing up in a politically active family and her life of political and labour activism. She was born in the United States to parents active in the Communist Party and the labour...Video
In this wide-ranging and interesting interview, Blair Redlin asks Judy Cavanaugh to describe the experience and identify the important outcomes and lessons learned through the many working experiences in her life. This interview was conducted by Blair Redlin on May...Video
Andy Ross was born in Newcastle, England. Growing up he was surrounded by unionized workplaces, from coal mines to industrial enterprises. Emigrating to Canada, he became a bus driver in Vancouver and was a member of the bus drivers’ unions,...Video
Marion Pollack and Micki McCune both started working for Canada Post as mail sorters in the 1970s. While both were initially impressed with the union wages they were earning, they soon became union activists, given the working conditions at Canada...Video
Denise Kellahan became active in the Union FASWOC (Food and Service Workers of Canada) while she was working at the White Spot restaurant as a single mother with two small children. She helped shepherd the merger of FASWOC (a primarily...Video
Kristina Vandervoort was born in Stockholm, Sweden. She moved to British Columbia with her parents when she was eight and they settled in North Vancouver. After high school, Kristina started her first job at Lions Gate Hospital and that is...Video
Judy Darcy started out as an enthusiastic public speaker and leader in her kindergarten days in Sarnia, Ontario, and has never looked back. Judy was very active in the student movement and in the women’s movement, including being on the...Video
Dave Wilson grew up in Winnipeg. He was influenced by his grandfather who was active in the Winnipeg General Strike. This interview was conducted by Phil Legg on April 19, 2023 in Burnaby, BC. It is part of our Oral...Video
Diana Kilmury was born in Montreal and moved to Vancouver in 1954 when she was about eight years old. She married and dropped out of school when she was 16. By the time she was 19, she was divorced and...Video
Peter Cameron was chief shop steward at the Phillips Cables plant in Vancouver, the first plant certified with the Canadian Electrical Workers, which merged with CAIMAW (Canadian Association of Industrial Mechanical and Electrical Workers) in 1969. He served on the...Video
The interview begins with George’ s early life, apprenticeship, and reasons for moving from the east to the west coast, moving on to a more general discussion of the Canadian shipbuilding industry and his experience of labour organizing in that...Video
Barry O’Neill’s unionism began on Vancouver Island where he worked for several school districts and was rooted in workplace health and safety. He went on to hold elected positions in CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) locally, provincially and nationally....Video
Roger Crowther was brought up in a working-class mining family in Hedley and Hope. His father was active in his union and in the community, which helped to inspire Roger’s activism. In 1972, working at the Bethlehem Copper Mine in...Video
On November 24, 2022, Rod Mickleburgh and the BC Labour Heritage Centre introduced Ray Haynes to the 60th BC Federation of Labour Convention in Vancouver BC. It was an emotional moment that traced Ray Haynes' leadership in the labour movement for...Video
Carmela Allevato was born in a small town in Southern Italy in 1962. Her family emigrated to Canada when she was 11 years old and settled in Toronto where her parents worked in manufacturing and factory jobs. After graduating high...Video
Wayne Peppard grew up in Castlegar, BC, working for a short time at the Cominco smelter in Trail. His introduction to the labour movement was with the United Association of Journeymen & Apprentices of the Plumbing & PipeFitting Industry of...Video
Paul Ramsey was born in the United States in 1944. His father was an engineer and a Democrat, who served as a council member for 16 years in the suburb where Paul grew up. Paul aspired to be an academic...Video
Michele Alexander was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba. She moved to the United States in the early sixties after her parents divorced and her mother married an American. She returned to Canada in 1992 seeking a better life. At the...Video
John Burrows was born in 1954 in Victoria BC. His career started at Victoria Plywood where his interest in unions was quickly ignited. John soon transitioned to the City of Victoria, progressing over the years from a casual role to...Video
Born in Newfoundland, David Gellately made his way to BC in the early 1970s. He became a provincial government employee in northern BC and an activist in his union, the BCGEU. This interview was conducted by Patricia Wejr and Donna...Video
Warren Williams’ labour activism came to him through his family, who has a deep connection to Canada’s Black community. Warren’s uncle, Lee Williams, fought for equal employment rights for Canadian sleeping car porters, and the formation of the Order of...Video
As a founding Board Member of BC Labour Heritage Centre, Mervyn Van Steinburg recounts his story of a worklife spent in service to BC’s unionized community. In this interview, Brother Van Steinburg recounts his union beginnings as an electrician member...Video
Darryl Walker, of the BC Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU), served as Provincial Vice President (1999 to 2008) and President (2008 to 2014). This interview was conducted by Ken Novakowski On January 21, 2020 in Burnaby, BC. It is...Video
Mae Burrows details her early life and influences, and then her work with the Labour Environmental Alliance Society (LEAS) which brought together trade unionists and environmentalists at a time when logging companies were instigating the “war in the woods.” This...Video
Born in 1932 in a small Saskatchewan town, Sheila Pither came to Vancouver with her mother after the death of her father. Sheila’s husband was a millwright in Vancouver, and she became active in the International Woodworkers of America (IWA)...Video
Brian Hamaguchi worked in fish canneries in the lower mainland and was a shop steward and executive member of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union (UFAWU). Previous generations of his family also worked in the fishing industry and were...Video
At the time of this interview, Audrey Keely was over 100 years of age. She spent her early life with her family in the Cariboo and shares some of those experiences and personal tragedies. This interview was conducted by Patricia...Video
In a follow-up interview, Joy Thorkelson, President of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union, speaks to Rod Mickleburgh and Donna Sacuta as she continues to recall the issues and actions taken by West Coast unions in the fishing industry.Video
Henry van der Wiel first came to Prince Rupert in 1963 to work on a fish boat, and relocated permanently in 1966. He eventually bought his own gillnetter. When he became a member of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers...Video
Des Nobels lived and worked in the fishing industry on the north coast of BC his entire adult life, from being a crew member to a vessel owner. This interview was conducted by Rod Mickleburgh on September 6, 2019 in...Video
In this 1.5 hr conversation, Rod Mickleburgh and Donna Sacuta interview Joy Thorkelson. Joy is a resident of Prince Rupert and held positions as organizer and president of the UFAWU (United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union). This interview was conducted...Video
Dave Smith worked for Canada Post in Prince Rupert until he retired. He became President of his local of the Letter Carriers Union until it merged with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in 1989. This interview was conducted by...Video
Bill Smith was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and grew up in Dallas, Texas. He moved to British Columbia in 1970 and subsequently spent more than 40 years working as a commercial fisherman in Prince Rupert and the North Coast. In...Video
Ken MacLean was a member of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 505 located in Prince Rupert for 25 years and never missed a union meeting. He held the position of Secretary Treasurer/Dispatcher for 12 years. This interview was...Video
At the time of this interview, Glen Edwards was President of Local 505 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) in Prince Rupert BC This interview was conducted by Rod Mickleburgh and Donna Sacuta on September 5, 2019 in...Video
Mary LaPlante was introduced to unions when she worked at a fish plant as a summer job. She later worked at the Prince Rupert Hospital where most staff were unionized, but not the administrative staff where she worked. Mary organized...Video
George Brandak is a key figure in the archival history of labour in British Columbia. This interview was collected by Allen Seager on May 30, 2019 in Burnaby, BC. It is part of our Oral History Collection.Video
John Radosevic was born in Croatia (former Yugoslavia) before moving to Canada as a young boy. As a teenager he worked on an uncle’s ranch in Alberta and in the dangerous job of tie-up man in seine fishing in BC...Video
Diane Wood spent many years as a union activist starting in Duncan where she organized the School District clerical workers and led her first strike. She then moved to northeast BC where she began her activism in the BCGEU. This...Video
Rod Hiebert became President of the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) in 1991. During his time as a union leader he was present for many pivotal issues affecting members, including pension funds, technological change and pay equity. He discusses the union’s...Video
Cliff Andstein is a seasoned activist with over 30 years’ experience in the trade union movement. He moved to BC as a young man, leaving his home province of New Brunswick where he had encountered the dangers of working as...Video
In this compelling oral history, former BCGEU Director Gary Steeves recalls his formative years, the occupation of Tranquille residential institution in Kamloops, and 25 years of his union’s remarkable evolution. This interview was conducted by Ken Novakowski on October 4,...Video
This interview covers the intense period in 1983 when Operation Solidarity and the Solidarity Coalition brought the province to the brink of a general strike. This interview was conducted by Jum Sinclair and Darryl Walker on September 5, 2018, in...Video
Ken Isomura began working in the forest industry at 17. He credits growing up, living and working in Revelstoke with his later involvement in unions and community organizations because it gave him a sense of community. After relocating to the...Video
Dave Pritchett served on the ILWU 500 executive for about 25 years. He is the grandson of IWA founder, Harold Pritchett and son of Craig Pritchett, the first president of the Canadian region of the ILWU. This interview was conducted...Video
Lloyd Edwards came to BC from Trinidad in 1953 and got his first teaching job in 1957 on Texada Island. He taught in several BC communities before settling in Surrey. As President of the Surrey Teachers’ Association in 1974, he...Video
Colin Gabelmann came to Canada as a child in 1947 from London, England. He was influenced by his family’s ties to social democratic parties in Europe which continued in Canada where they were strong supporters of the CCF (Cooperative Commonwealth...Video
Mike Dumler’s union career in the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) included many elected and staff positions. After coming to Canada from the United States as a Vietnam War veteran, Brother Dumler joined CUPE in Nanaimo. He became President...Video
Jess Succamore arrived in Canada from England in 1952. He worked in a variety of jobs around British Columbia. He is best known for leading the campaign for independent Canadian unions. In this lengthy interview, Succamore recalls his relationships with...Video
Grace Stevens was born in Saskatchewan to Finnish and Norwegian parents, moving to Webster’s Corners in BC as a girl where her parents farmed and fished the Fraser River. Growing up in the Depression years, she learned to fight for...Video
Bernice Kirk began her union career at the Coquitlam School Board, and became the Secretary-Treasurer and President of CUPE BC, as well as a Vice President of the National CUPE Board. This interview was conducted by Ken Novakowski and Blair...Video
In this second of two interviews, Hans Brown discusses his management of BC NDP (New Democratic Party) election campaigns from 1972 to 1996.Video
Carolyn Askew was a lawyer and the first Legislative Counsel for the BC Federation of Labour, beginning in 1972. She explains she was one of only a few women law school graduates and women had difficulty getting articles with firms....Video
Hans Brown worked for the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) in BC for 13 years, taking the lead on pay equity and classification between 1974 and 1987. He is best known for his connections to BC’s New Democratic Party (NDP). This...Video
Ken Georgetti’s life as an elected union representative spans over 40 years. Beginning as a proud member of Trail, BC’s United Steelworkers Local 480, Brother Georgetti rose through the ranks to become Local Union President, President of the BC Federation...Video
George Hewison grew up in Campbell River where he learned his unionism and politics at “the kitchen table” during the Cold War years. He was an organizer and executive member of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union (UFAWU) for...Video
Gary Kroeker spent over 35 years as an activist and executive member of Local 115 of the International Union of Operating Engineers as well a term as President of the BC Building Trades Council. This interview was conducted by Jim...Video
Cathy Walker was born in Vancouver, BC in 1949 and grew up in Burnaby. Her father was a member of the Machinists Union which influenced her perspective while growing up. She attended Simon Fraser University (SFU) during a time of...Video
An East Van boy, Ken Bauder initially worked in construction before ending up in longshoring. He was Secretary Treasurer of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada from 2004-2010. He was instrumental in a project called (Re)claiming the New Westminster...Video
Muriel Overgaard was born in Elbow, Saskatchewan in 1920. She went on to become the first female President of CUPE BC, serving from 1976-1980, and ran as an MLA for the NDP. She played a significant role in establishing CUPE’s...Video
Jackie Ainsworth was born in Ontario, attending a year at the University of Carlton before joining the Anti-War Movement and moving out west to Vancouver. She is a founding member of the Association of University and College Employees (AUCE) as...Video
Peter Burton was born in Pembroke, Ontario, and worked for the Georgia Straight in Vancouver before going into the resource industry in northern BC. Peter was President of the Canadian Association of Smelter and Allied Workers (CASAW) in 1976, when...Video
John Shields was born and raised in New York City by Irish Catholic parents who were both union members. He pursued a life in the Catholic church clergy, but left after disagreement with the direction of the church. He moved...Video
Kate Braid is a carpenter and a poet, writing about her experiences as a female working in the male-dominated construction trades. She was born in Calgary, AB and was elected to the executive of the BC Regional Council of Carpenters....Video
Arnie Nagy has Haida heritage on the maternal side of his family, and grew up in Prince Rupert. He worked in the fish canneries and was an active UFAWU member. He recalls the years when the fishing industry was booming...Video
Clive Lytle was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1937. He went to University for his Bachelors of Arts degree, and was recommended to apply for a research position at the BC Federation of Labour. This interview was conducted by Ken...Video
This is a secondary, follow-up interview with Ray Haynes. Ray provided the BCLHC with a number of materials (photos, newspaper articles, etc.) to digitize and archive, which much of this interview is based upon. In this interview, Ray reflects on...Video
Jef Keighley was born in Vancouver, BC in 1950. He spent time working in Jamaica through the Canadian University Service Overseas. He worked in the automotive and construction industries before becoming involved in the Canadian Association of Industrial, Mechanical and...Video
Bill Zander was born at home in the small town of Myrtle, Saskatchewan in 1934, but spent his childhood in Vancouver, BC He started working in a lumber mill after returning from the Royal Canadian Airforce, and became a plant...Video
Sharon Yandle was born in 1941 in Vancouver, BC Raised in the East Side of Vancouver, Sharon spent the majority of her career as a freelance negotiator for various unions across the province, specializing in arbitration and “duty to accommodate”....Video
John Jensen was a Danish-born union and community activist in Northwestern BC He was an active member of the Carpenters’ Union and a delegate to the Kitimat and Terrace District Labour Council for 50 years. This interview was donated to...Video
Art Kube was born in Poland where he attended a socialist kindergarten. He joined the Metalworkers Union in 1949 and became a member of the socialist faction of the Metalworkers Union. This interview was conducted by David Yorke, Ken Novakowski,...Video
This is an audio-only interview with Nick Carr. Nick was born in Croatia (former Yugoslavia) before moving to Canada as a young boy, where he spent his career as a fisherman. He became President of Local 1 of the United...Video
This is the first of two interviews with Ray Haynes. Ray Haynes was born in Point Grey, Vancouver, BC in 1928. He was introduced to the labour movement through work at a sawmill; his first experience representing workers was at...
