All kinds of skilled workers and many more unskilled labourers were needed to maintain the rail system, run the trains, and handle the huge volume of freight and passengers that passed through Winnipeg. The Weston Shops, one of several worksites operated by the railways in the city, hired hundreds of… Read More
They roused the suspects from their sleep and took them into custody. The police raided the James Street Labor Temple, surrounding it with 500 soldiers and members of the Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP). Police also raided the Ukrainian Labor Temple and offices of the Western Labor News. Read More
Committed to working-class solidarity that stretched beyond ethnic boundaries, the society hosted many intense debates among left-wing Jewish political groups. The 1919 strike was strongly supported by Jewish radicals. Three of these individuals served on the Strike Committee – AA Heaps, a labour politician; and Max Tessler and M Temenson… Read More
A wonderfully preserved community hall, rich in history, it is a must see on the strike tour. Many mutual benefit societies flourished in Winnipeg in the early 1900s. They began as voluntary organizations founded on the efforts of individuals who sought companionship, economic security and social improvement through collective association. Read More
However, conditions were not as advertised. Long hours with few breaks, low wages, and constant supervision – to force the women to work harder and not use time to speak with one another – soon frustrated many operators. By 1918, most telephone operators were employed by the Manitoba Government Telephone… Read More
Committed to improving social conditions for immigrants, these churches accompanied their relief efforts with a strong cultural message. Mission programs emphasized Anglo-Saxon values and Protestant Christian beliefs. Activities ranged from providing charitable donations, like food hampers, to offering Sunday school lessons, advice on sanitation, and “Fresh Air” summer camps for… Read More
Thousands of others became ill. The flu affected families throughout the city. Working-class neighbourhoods faced the greatest devastation, and immigrants suffered the most. Having wealth meant better living conditions and sanitation, which limited the spread of disease. It also meant that those who did become ill had greater access to… Read More
Over 80 percent of Winnipeg’s Jewish and Slavic families lived here in 1919. Selkirk Avenue was the retail and cultural focus of the new neighbourhood. Confectioneries, butcher shops, grocery stores, banks, real estate agencies, loan offices, theatres, and meeting halls lined the street. German, Jewish, Polish, Ukrainian, and English-language community… Read More
These streets, with their often tiny houses pressed together on 25 foot lots, are typical of the homes that flanked the north and south sides of the CPR railyards stretching from Point Douglas to Keewatin Street. Workers lived in these neighbourhoods because they were located near their place of work… Read More
Industries crowded into Point Douglas to take advantage of the railway for shipping and receiving. Factories produced farm implements, paints, liquor, beds, wagons and carriages. Hundreds of workers were employed. Few of those living in Point Douglas – or in other working-class neighbourhoods – owned their homes. Families usually rented… Read More