Where and When?
Lasting roughly four years, the miners' strikes began in 1922 and were losing steam by 1926. They took place on the island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, in towns where steel and coal mining where the main industries. Sydney, Springhill, New Waterford, and Glace Bay were among some of the industrial towns where coal mines and steel mills were located, in close proximity to the water, thereby facilitating industrial operations and transportation of resources.
Prior to the 1920s, there had been some unsuccessful labour disputes in 1909-1910. By 1919, the coal miners of Cape Breton seemed to be making progress when they successfully founded a chapter of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), District #26. The workers' resistance was ignited again in 1922, when their employer, BESCO, instituted a one-third reduction in wages. For 4 years following that multiple large strikes and small, local strikes took place. This prolonged labour dispute reached a head on June 11th 1925 at a protest march at Waterford Lake which culminated in a violent battle and the death of a coal miner William Davis.
Prior to the 1920s, there had been some unsuccessful labour disputes in 1909-1910. By 1919, the coal miners of Cape Breton seemed to be making progress when they successfully founded a chapter of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), District #26. The workers' resistance was ignited again in 1922, when their employer, BESCO, instituted a one-third reduction in wages. For 4 years following that multiple large strikes and small, local strikes took place. This prolonged labour dispute reached a head on June 11th 1925 at a protest march at Waterford Lake which culminated in a violent battle and the death of a coal miner William Davis.
Who?
Most of the coal mine and steel workers in Cape Breton descended from Scottish immigrants. However, industrial production also attracted immigrants from Britain, Belgium, France and England. In some cases, their shared history, along with similar living situations (BESCO employees lived in identical leased company homes built in tidy rows) and the sense of solidarity that delivered underground in the mines, they created a tight-knit community. Unions and labour parties were popular amongst these workers who would discuss workers' rights and dreamed of public ownership of industry. They were also electing Labour representatives to town councils and the Nova Scotia legislature on a platform calling for nationalization of resources and utilities, democratic control of industry, and guarantee of the necessities of life. Unlike the coal miners, the steel workers did not belong to the UMWA, and fought for recognition of their union. Part of their battle during these years then was to have their union recognized.
Their Montreal-based employer was BESCO, the British Empire Steel Corporation, which monopolized the steel and coal industry in Nova Scotia at the time. Headed by Roy Wolvin, it formed the largest industrial consortium in Canada, having bought out steel and coal companies, linking them to lumber, sawmills, and shipyards after the war. It is acknowledged by most historians that their stocks were inflated, and they needed to come up with ways to remain afloat financially.
Their Montreal-based employer was BESCO, the British Empire Steel Corporation, which monopolized the steel and coal industry in Nova Scotia at the time. Headed by Roy Wolvin, it formed the largest industrial consortium in Canada, having bought out steel and coal companies, linking them to lumber, sawmills, and shipyards after the war. It is acknowledged by most historians that their stocks were inflated, and they needed to come up with ways to remain afloat financially.
What?
The first major labour dispute began among coal miners in 1922, when their employer BESCO announced a one-third wage reduction. Miners showed their resistance to this cost-saving measure by producing just one-third of the normal output. Dramatic protests and at least two other strikes ensued over a period of four years, eventually involving the steel workers in 1923, whose efforts to form a union went unacknowledged. Smaller, local strikes took place over this period, and were not only provoked by wage reduction, but also over disagreements with management regarding procedure and supervision of the mines, and work-discipline.
The second major strike began with the steelworkers of Sydney in 1923, with the coal miners proving their solidarity by striking in sympathy. The demonstrations at Whitney Pier were put down by provincial police and ended with the arrest of two union leaders. Even the UMWA disapproved of the actions of District #26 and temporarily suspended their chapter.
In 1925, another major strike was ignited by the miners in New Waterford, after three years of working part-time and seeing their wages reduced. In addition to reducing work days at the collieries, BESCO cut off credit at company stores and stopped the sale of coal to miners. Starving, desperate and cold, some miners looted the stores in order to feed their families. As conditions worsened for the families of New Waterford, UMWA lobbied the provincial and federal governments to intervene, but to no avail. Although some independent businesses agreed to offer credit to the miners and local fishermen supplied them with fish, the miners had to face more difficulties, as BESCO who also controlled the local power plant and water supply cut off these services. On June 11th, 1925, workers united and hiked to the Waterford Lake power plant to start up the power again. One hundred armed and mounted police police officers halted their march, beating them down and opening gunfire. Of the three miners that were shot that day, William Davis died.
Following the bloody protest and all the negative press it received, the provincial government got involved and met with BESCO officials. As a result of negotiations, the proposed wages were set at the 1922 level, implying a much smaller reduction, to which the miners agreed.
The second major strike began with the steelworkers of Sydney in 1923, with the coal miners proving their solidarity by striking in sympathy. The demonstrations at Whitney Pier were put down by provincial police and ended with the arrest of two union leaders. Even the UMWA disapproved of the actions of District #26 and temporarily suspended their chapter.
In 1925, another major strike was ignited by the miners in New Waterford, after three years of working part-time and seeing their wages reduced. In addition to reducing work days at the collieries, BESCO cut off credit at company stores and stopped the sale of coal to miners. Starving, desperate and cold, some miners looted the stores in order to feed their families. As conditions worsened for the families of New Waterford, UMWA lobbied the provincial and federal governments to intervene, but to no avail. Although some independent businesses agreed to offer credit to the miners and local fishermen supplied them with fish, the miners had to face more difficulties, as BESCO who also controlled the local power plant and water supply cut off these services. On June 11th, 1925, workers united and hiked to the Waterford Lake power plant to start up the power again. One hundred armed and mounted police police officers halted their march, beating them down and opening gunfire. Of the three miners that were shot that day, William Davis died.
Following the bloody protest and all the negative press it received, the provincial government got involved and met with BESCO officials. As a result of negotiations, the proposed wages were set at the 1922 level, implying a much smaller reduction, to which the miners agreed.
Why?
BESCO was facing financial problems under the direction of Roy Wolvin, and had difficulty securing stable Canadian markets, as they were also competing with cheaper American coal and steel. In order to minimize costs, BESCO chose to reduce the workers' wages. Consequently, this measure met with resistance and outrage from the employees. When their wages were reduced by two-thirds in 1922, workers were barely able to pay for rent and food for their families, and depended on credit at the Company stores. Most of them had no choice but to work for these reduced wages, but they chose to resist BESCO by becoming involved in unions, and implementing work slowdowns, stoppages, and strikes.