Working People: A History of Labour in British Columbia
This three-part series shares the stories of workers, industries and events spanning three centuries of BC history.
Description
This three-part series shares the stories of workers, industries and events spanning three centuries of BC history.
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Explore the Cariboo Gold Rush and the coal mines on Vancouver Island. Take a ride on the great BC steamships and learn...
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The Great Depression and two World Wars set on hard times for BC's labour movement. From labour camps on the Fraser...
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From company towns like Ocean Falls popping up around the province to the devastating Second Narrows Bridge collapse...
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The Indigenous People of British Columbia have had a long history of labour, from building their economies on hunting...
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Gold fever spread dreams of great fortune for seekers willing to brave the harsh conditions of gold mining in the...
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The invention of steam-ships revolutionized transportation for British Columbia in the 1800’s, allowing workers to reach...
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Learn about the miners’ strike in the 1870’s that was sparked by inhumane working conditions set by the wealthy Dunsmuir...
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Through candid photos of labourers from all trades, Mattie Gunterman documented the pioneer life of British Columbians...
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Asian discrimination escalated in British Columbia after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, resulting in...
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A mining explosion in Coal Creek triggered a movement to protect children from being exploited through child labour in...
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The formation of the BC fisherman’s union in 1899 challenged the dominance of cannery owners, resulting in a strike that...
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The booming forest industry in British Columbia fostered the creation of an ethnically diverse town called Paldi, named...
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The first strike in the British Columbia telephone industry was catalyzed by the emergence of women operators who...
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A paradoxical situation in the long shoring industry informed the creation of the Bows and Arrows union, illustrating...
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Contrasted against the beauty of the Fraser River, the construction crews of the Canadian Northern Railway faced ugly...
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Setting the stage for the women’s suffrage movement in Vancouver, Helena Gutteridge played an integral role in winning...
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With gas explosions killing hundreds, miners working in Vancouver Island initiated BC’s longest and most violent strike...
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With gas explosions killing hundreds, miners working in Vancouver Island initiated BC’s longest and most violent strike...
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Learn how the death of a single union worker led to Canada’s first general strike in 1918.
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A musical tale depicting the wistful lives of labourers working in a salmon cannery.
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Travelling across miles of rough terrain with a home-made darkroom hitched to the back of his car, Wilmer Gold created...
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Work relief camps that sprung up during the Great Depression inspired union activists to take their grievances all the...
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A dispute between the Langley School Board and Langley Teachers Association led by Connie Jervis set the precedent for...
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Unemployment strife during the Great Depression came to a head in Vancouver when peaceful protests became anything but.
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A small company town born in 1906 was home to more than pulp mill workers, it was also a vibrant community that produced...
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The first woman in western Canada to get a commercial pilots licence had yearned to fly since childhood, and left a...
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Despite racial barriers and the disaster of Pearl Harbour, Buck Suzuki remained a recognized visionary in the BC fishing...
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Women’s entry into the labour force during World War II opened the conversation within unions to establish equal pay for...
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The disastrous bridge collapse during construction of the Second Narrows cantilever bridge resulted in the single worst...
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An 8-year long Silicosis campaign ran by Bea Zucco became a rallying point for groups who were disgruntled by the...
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“The main thing that working women need is union organization”. Watch how the unionization movement for working women...
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A lack of union protection for farmworkers in BC resulted in years-long battles between the Canadian Farmworkers Union...
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The Solidarity campaign represented over 400,000 BC workers, setting the stage for the largest labour protest in British...
Sat Sep 21, 10:35pm
E1
1700 - 1920's
Sun Sep 22, 1:35am
E1
1700 - 1920's