100th Anniversary of The Strike

2019 was the centenary of the General Sympathetic Strike.
Here are some of the events that took place, engaging an estimated 10,000 people:

UFCW Parade & CUPE Concert         May 25th,  Exchange District to Memorial Park

Joe Hill Road Show                                May 30, 8pm Ukrainian Labour Temple

Songs for next Century Concert       June 8,  Old Market Square

Play: Women Strike                              June 13, 7pm Ukrainian Labour Temple

STRIKE the musical                    June 19 - July 9, Rainbow Stage

Memorial of Blood Saturday         June 21, @ corner Market Ave. / Main St.

OTHER RELATED CELEBRATIONS:

100^th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Labour Temple

(February 14 actual anniversary) Rededication event April 25

Social Planning Council of Winnipeg 100^th

(April 14 actual anniversary) April  26^th Celebration, ULT

MayWorks Festival of Labour and the Arts

May, numerous locations

Heritage Winnipeg, Doors Open event                    

May 25 & 26, various important historical sites

Premier of  movie STAND (was known as STRIKE the musical)

September

Art Exhibition: “Revolting”       Edge Gallery 621 Main Street.                                    

            August 2 to August 30

PAST EVENTS

1919 STRIKE Exhibit                     March 22 onward, Manitoba Museum

Book Launch: Magnificent Fight     May 2, 7pm McNally Robinson

1919 Strike Conference                   May 9-12, University of Winnipeg

Myers LLP Social                          May 11, 2019, Ukrainian Labour Temple

Book Launch: PAPERGIRL             Sunday May 5, 3pm McNally

BOLSHIE BASH                                   May 9 – 17, Rachel Brown Theatre

Book Launch: Graphic History of General Strike             May 12, 2pm, McNally

Poetry Reading: Ron Romanowski                May 13, 7pm McNally

Memorial Service – Mike Sokolowski            May 16, 7pm Brookside Cemetery

Sympathetic Strike Tour                              May 26, North/South End/Exchange 

Walker Theatre Meeting sets Stage for 1919 Winnipeg Strike

There were two very visible events that fed the view that The Strike was a revolt, not merely a protest. One was an important meeting at the Walker Theatre on December 22, 1918, organized by the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council and the Socialist Party of Canada. It was “dedicated to the purpose of finding no good at all in the government.”  The meeting was planned because the workers realized that the Trades and Labour Congress officers were “impotent in the matter of securing from the Government redress of the grievances complained of, and were determined that the voice of protest should be heard."  (Defense Committee 1920:4)

The 1,600 workers at the meeting were protesting the use of Orders-in-Council (Dominion Cabinet orders) to deal with issues they believed parliament should have responsibility for. They believed Orders-in-Council were undemocratic in suppressing union action, limiting freedom of the press and curtailing political party activity. The meeting was also a protest against the continued imprisonment of political prisoners and sending military forces to fight the revolutionary government of Russia. The meeting endorsed a resolution (copied from a similar Toronto meeting), "that conditions in this country do not, and never have warranted such an unjustifiable interference with the liberties of the people. We view with apprehension the introduction of autocratic methods and the increasing tendency of a few men to usurp the prerogatives of the people which are alone vested in their elected representatives.” (Defense Committee 1920:7)

The report on the meeting in the Western Labor News of December 27 noted that John Queen, “then called for three cheers for the Russian Revolution. The meeting ended with deafening cries of ‘Long live the Russian Soviet Republic! Long live Karl Liebknecht [a German Socialist who was murdered by nationalist troops the following January]! Long live the working class!’ The meeting ordered that, if possible, the message of congratulations be cabled to the Bolsheviki.” A follow up meeting at the Majestic Theatre, only organized by the SPC, reiterated the critique of government made at the Walker, but laid on more of the socialist critique of government. Despite these meetings, there was never a formal alliance between the unions in The Strike and any political party.  

Video Statement

Introduction to Victoria Park