The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919

Resistance and rebellion: A people’s history of the Canadian state study series 

Sunday October 18 – 2pm eastern | 11am pacific

Resistance Bookroom

427 Bloor St W. Tkaranto and on zoom

On May 15th, 1919, in solidarity with striking construction workers, two-thirds of Winnipeg’s population walked off the job. The strike lasted six weeks and is arguably North America’s largest labour action ever. It only ended after police attacked the strikers and their supporters, killing two and injuring dozens.

Workers shut down the city and ensured the distribution of milk and bread for citizens, while at the same time fending off the attacks by media, city government and the Citizens Committee, a group of 1,000 business leaders, intent on breaking the strike and the threat of Bolshevism in the streets of Winnipeg.

This strike was a part of the general upheaval and rebellion inspired by the successful workers revolution in Russia in 1917. Come and share in a discussion about how workers organized then and how we can organize today to fight the same forces that confronted the Winnipeg strikers.

Suggested readings

The Winnipeg General Strike - Wikipedia

What Socialists Learned from the Winnipeg General Strike - Ian Angus

1919: The Canadian Labour Revolt - Gregory S. Kealey

In person at 427 Bloor St W. Tkaranto or register for the zoom link here.

Upcoming sessions

November 1 – The Red Power Movement – 1960s and 1970s

November 15 – War Measures Act & Quebec Common Front Strikes – 1970 -72

November 29 – Operation Solidarity – 1983

December 13 – Wetʼsuwetʼen Strong & Shut down Canada – 2020

January 10 – Black liberation in the Canadian state

February 7 – Movements that shook governments in so-called Canada and Quebec

February 21 –  What would a revolution look like in Canada today?