Working People: A History of Labour in British Columbia

The Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia have had a long history of labour, from building their economies on hunting, fishing and trade to the introduction of European settlers.

Gold fever spread dreams of great fortune for seekers willing to brave the harsh conditions of gold mining in the interior of British Columbia, creating the largest gold rush in BC history.

The invention of steamships revolutionized transportation for British Columbia in the 1800s, allowing workers to reach parts of the province that were previously impassible.

Learn about the miners' strike in the 1870s that was sparked by inhumane working conditions set by the wealthy Dunsmuirs, who owned the dangerous mining operations.

Through candid photos of labourers from all trades, Mattie Gunterman documented the pioneer life of British Columbians in the early 1900s.

Asian discrimination escalated in British Columbia after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, resulting in years of violence and turmoil.

The formation of the BC Fisherman's Union in 1899 challenged the dominance of cannery owners, resulting in a strike that had lasting consequences.

The booming forest industry in British Columbia fostered the creation of an ethnically diverse town called Paldi, named after Mayo Singh's home in India.

The first strike in the British Columbia telephone industry was catalyzed by the emergence of women operators who shifted the status quo.

A paradoxical situation in the longshoring industry informed the creation of the Bows and Arrows union, illustrating how unions could be used to fight for equality.

Contrasted against the beauty of the Fraser River, the construction crews of the Canadian Northern Railway faced ugly conditions.

Setting the stage for the women's suffrage movement in Vancouver, Helena Gutteridge played an integral role in winning women the right to vote.

With gas explosions killing hundreds, miners working in Vancouver Island initiated BC's longest and most violent strike, the Vancouver Island War.

Ethel Johns, the first director of nursing at Vancouver General Hospital, lead the way in defining the professional nurse in British Columbia.

Learn how the death of a single union worker led to Canada's first general strike in 1918.

A musical tale depicting the wistful lives of labourers working in a salmon cannery.

Travelling across miles of rough terrain with a home-made darkroom hitched to the back of his car, Wilmer Gold created the largest collection of photos depicting BC's logging industry.

Work relief camps that sprung up during the Great Depression inspired union activists to take their grievances all the way to Ottawa.

A dispute between the Langley School Board and Langley Teachers Association led by Connie Jervis set the precedent for compulsory arbitration for teachers.

Unemployment strife during the Great Depression came to a head in Vancouver when peaceful protests became anything but.

A small company town born in 1906 was home to more than pulp mill workers, it was also a vibrant community that produced world-class swimmers.

The first woman in western Canada to get a commercial pilots licence had yearned to fly since childhood, and left a soaring legacy of remarkable achievements.

Despite racial barriers and the disaster of Pearl Harbour, Buck Suzuki remained a recognized visionary in the BC fishing industry.

Women's entry into the labour force during the Second World War opened the conversation within unions to establish equal pay for equal work for women.

The disastrous bridge collapse during construction of the Second Narrows cantilever bridge resulted in the single worst industrial tragedy in Vancouver's history.

An 8-year long Silicosis campaign ran by Bea Zucco became a rallying point for groups who were disgruntled by the Workers Compensation Board in the mid-1900s.

"The main thing that working women need is union organization." Watch how the unionization movement for working women was born.

A lack of union protection for farmworkers in BC resulted in years-long battles between the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the BC government.

The Solidarity campaign represented over 400,000 BC workers, setting the stage for the largest labour protest in British Columbian history, which had the potential to shut down the province.

Explore the Cariboo Gold Rush and the coal mines on Vancouver Island. Take a ride on the great BC steamships and learn about the Fishermen's Strike of 1900.

The Great Depression and two World Wars set on hard times for BC's labour movement. From labour camps on the Fraser River to the Post Office Sit-Down Strike, voices demanded to be heard.

From company towns like Ocean Falls popping up around the province to the devastating Second Narrows Bridge collapse, British Columbia is a province rich with stories to tell.