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One Big Union (Canada)

April 10, 2024

For the concept, see One Big Union (concept).

The One Big Union (OBU) was a militant left-wing industrial union based primarily in Western Canada.[1] Launched formally in Calgary on June 4, 1919, the OBU, after a spectacular initial upsurge, lost most of its members within a few years. It eventually merged with the Canadian Labour Congress in 1956.

One Big Union
National Industrial Union of the Dominion of Canada
Federation mergerCanadian Labour Congress
FoundedMarch 13, 1919
Dissolved1956
HeadquartersWinnipeg
Location
Members
70,000 (1919)
Key people
Robert B. Russell

Victor Midgley

Bill Pritchard
AffiliationsSocialist Party of Canada

Background edit

Towards the end of World War I, labour activists in Western Canada became more radical. They protested the policies of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada (TLC) and the American Federation of Labor (AFL), both of which supported the war effort, as well as the governments in power. Western unions were represented by only 45 of 400 delegates at the September 1918 TLC convention. Their resolutions to condemn Canada's involvement in World War I were defeated. Moreover, the socialist TLC president James Watters, who had held the post since 1911, was replaced by the conservative Tom Moore.

Amidst the mounting labour unrest, the federal state clamped down on radical publications and organizations, outlawing 14 organizations including the Industrial Workers of the World. Nevertheless, labour activists and socialists were determined not to allow their dream of a new society to die. They established a new organization with "Workers of the world, unite!" as its motto.

Western TLC unionists met annually at the Western Labor Conference. The 1919 event was held on March 13–15, prior to the annual national TLC congress. The WLC conference was dominated by members of the Socialist Party of Canada, who favored secession from the TLC. The majority at the conference voted to form a new "revolutionary industrial union" separate from the AFL/TLC, to be launched officially at a convention in June.[2] The conference's resolutions condemned the Canadian government and expressed solidarity with the Bolsheviks in Russia and the Spartacus League in Germany. The conference also decided to poll Canadian workers on calling a general strike.

Rise edit

 
Crowd gathered outside old City Hall during the Winnipeg General Strike, June 21, 1919
 
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Constitution and laws of the One Big Union

The general strike that began in Winnipeg on May 15, 1919, was in large part inspired by the One Big Union's ideals.[3] A number of OBU leaders, including Robert B. Russell, were arrested in conjunction with the strike; Russell was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Edmonton, Calgary, Drumheller, Vancouver and Victoria began their own general strikes, spurred on by Winnipeg.[4] Most strike leaders, such as Edmonton's Joe Knight, Calgary's Mrs. Jean MacWilliams, and Amherst's Frank Burke, were OBU affiliates.[5] A.S. Wells, leader of the BC Federation of Labour at the time, was a founding member of the OBU.

The AFL and the TLC resisted the secession by what would soon become the OBU. OBU members and unions were expelled from most local trades' councils. Nonetheless, tens of thousands of workers left the AFL/TLC to join the OBU. They included loggers, hard rock miners, coal miners, longshoremen, construction workers, metalworkers, and shop craft workers. The One Big Union aimed to organize by industry rather than by trade, in response to the capitalist system's de-emphasis of craftsmanship (Taylorism) and its burgeoning demand for cheap, unskilled labour.[6] The OBU's revolutionary program was evident in its constitution's preamble:

The O.B.U. ... seeks to organize the wage worker not according to craft but according to industry; according to class and class needs; and calls upon all workers irrespective of nationality, sex, or craft to organize into a workers' organization, so that they may be enabled to more successfully carry on the every day fight over wages, hours of work, etc. and prepare themselves for the day when production for profit shall be replaced by production of use.[7]</ref>

By 1919 the OBU's membership had reached 70,000. Although primarily based in Western Canada, the OBU had a significant presence in Nova Scotia, organizing coal workers during the Cape Breton Labour War of the early 1920s as well as nearly all of Amherst's mine workers.[1]

Fall edit

The OBU's zenith was in late 1919 and early 1920. However, it rapidly declined due to the hostility of employers, the media, state authorities, and rival unions; it was also undermined by the Communist Party.[8] Employers refused to bargain with OBU representatives and organizers were beaten, kidnapped and dismissed from coalfields.[9][10] The OBU was also wracked by an internal dispute over organization and funding that resulted in the exit of the Lumber Workers Industrial Union.[11]

By 1921, the OBU had only 5,000 members and by 1927 only 1,600, almost all of them in Winnipeg under Russell's leadership. By 1922, most of the union's income came from a lottery that ran in its weekly bulletin.[12] At the time lotteries were illegal in Canada, but it took the authorities years to successfully prosecute the union. The bulletin had a large circulation because of the lottery, with even businessmen buying it for the lottery coupons.

During the late 1920s the OBU briefly joined the All-Canadian Congress of Labour and considered joining the Canadian Congress of Labour during World War II, but by then nearly all of its members were employees of the Winnipeg Transit System. In 1956, the One Big Union, consisting of 24,000 members, merged with the Canadian Labour Congress.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Berry, David (September 17, 2019). "One Big Union". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  2. ^ Monto 2012, p. 71.
  3. ^ Campbell, J. Peter (1995). "The Feminist Challenge to the Canadian Left, 1900-1918 [review]". Labour / Le Travail. 36: 351. doi:10.2307/25143993. ISSN 0700-3862. JSTOR 25143993.
  4. ^ Isitt, Benjamin (2007). "Searching for Workers' Solidarity: The One Big Union and the Victoria General Strike of 1919" (PDF). Labour/Le Travail. 60: 9–41.
  5. ^ Bercuson, David J. (1972). "Western Labour Radicalism and the One Big Union". The Twenties in Western Canada. Canadian Museum of History. pp. 32–49. doi:10.2307/j.ctv16vgg.6. ISBN 978-1-77282-378-3. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  6. ^ Rinehart, p. 41.
  7. ^ Logan 1948, p. 313.
  8. ^ Newell, Peter E. (2008). The Impossibilists: A Brief Profile of the Socialist Party of Canada. Athena Press. pp. 175–76. ISBN 978-1-84748-323-2.
  9. ^ Rinehart 1975, p. 48.
  10. ^ Monto 2012, p. 75.
  11. ^ Haq 1989.
  12. ^ "One Big Union [Bulletin]". University of Manitoba Libraries. Retrieved November 3, 2023.

Works cited edit

  • Haq, Gordon (1989). "British Columbia Loggers and the Lumber Workers Industrial Union, 1919-1922". Labour/Le Travail. 23: 67–90. doi:10.2307/25143136. JSTOR 25143136.
  • Logan, Harold A. (1948). Trade Unions in Canada: Their Development and Functioning. Macmillan. LCCN 48003282.
  • Monto, Tom (2012). Protest and Progress: Three Labour Radicals in Early Edmonton. Crang Publishing.
  • Rinehart, James W. (1975). The Tyranny of Work. Longman Canada. ISBN 978-0-7747-3029-7.

Further reading edit

  • Bercuson, David J. (1978). Fools and Wise Men: The Rise and Fall of the One Big Union. McGraw Hill Ryerson. ISBN 0070826447.
  • Bercuson, David J. (1990). "Syndicalism Sidetracked: Canada's One Big Union". In van der Linden, Marcel; Thorpe, Wayne (eds.). Revolutionary Syndicalism: an International Perspective. Scolar Press. pp. 221–236. ISBN 0-85967-815-6.
  • Devine, Jason (2009). "You understand we are radical": The United Mine Workers of America, District 18, and the One Big Union, 1919-1920 (PDF) (Honours thesis). University of Calgary.
  • Friesen, Gerald (1976). "'Yours in Revolt': The Socialist Party of Canada and the Western Canadian Labour Movement". Labour/Le Travail: 139–157. JSTOR 25139889.
  • Heron, Craig, ed. (1998). The Workers' Revolt in Canada, 1917-1925. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442682566.
  • Newell, Peter E. (2008). The Impossibilists: A Brief History of the Socialist Party of Canada. Athena Press. ISBN 9781847483232.
  • Warrian, Peter (1971). The Challenge of the One Big Union Movement in Canada, 1919-1921 (MA thesis). University of Waterloo.

External links edit

  • One Big Union, weekly bulletin, 1919-34. University of Manitoba Libraries

April 10, 2024
union, canada, concept, union, concept, union, militant, left, wing, industrial, union, based, primarily, western, canada, launched, formally, calgary, june, 1919, after, spectacular, initial, upsurge, lost, most, members, within, years, eventually, merged, wi. For the concept see One Big Union concept The One Big Union OBU was a militant left wing industrial union based primarily in Western Canada 1 Launched formally in Calgary on June 4 1919 the OBU after a spectacular initial upsurge lost most of its members within a few years It eventually merged with the Canadian Labour Congress in 1956 One Big UnionNational Industrial Union of the Dominion of CanadaFederation mergerCanadian Labour CongressFoundedMarch 13 1919Dissolved1956HeadquartersWinnipegLocationCanadaMembers70 000 1919 Key peopleRobert B Russell Victor Midgley Bill PritchardAffiliationsSocialist Party of Canada Contents 1 Background 2 Rise 3 Fall 4 References 5 Works cited 6 Further reading 7 External linksBackground editTowards the end of World War I labour activists in Western Canada became more radical They protested the policies of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada TLC and the American Federation of Labor AFL both of which supported the war effort as well as the governments in power Western unions were represented by only 45 of 400 delegates at the September 1918 TLC convention Their resolutions to condemn Canada s involvement in World War I were defeated Moreover the socialist TLC president James Watters who had held the post since 1911 was replaced by the conservative Tom Moore Amidst the mounting labour unrest the federal state clamped down on radical publications and organizations outlawing 14 organizations including the Industrial Workers of the World Nevertheless labour activists and socialists were determined not to allow their dream of a new society to die They established a new organization with Workers of the world unite as its motto Western TLC unionists met annually at the Western Labor Conference The 1919 event was held on March 13 15 prior to the annual national TLC congress The WLC conference was dominated by members of the Socialist Party of Canada who favored secession from the TLC The majority at the conference voted to form a new revolutionary industrial union separate from the AFL TLC to be launched officially at a convention in June 2 The conference s resolutions condemned the Canadian government and expressed solidarity with the Bolsheviks in Russia and the Spartacus League in Germany The conference also decided to poll Canadian workers on calling a general strike Rise edit nbsp Crowd gathered outside old City Hall during the Winnipeg General Strike June 21 1919 nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Constitution and laws of the One Big UnionThe general strike that began in Winnipeg on May 15 1919 was in large part inspired by the One Big Union s ideals 3 A number of OBU leaders including Robert B Russell were arrested in conjunction with the strike Russell was sentenced to two years imprisonment Edmonton Calgary Drumheller Vancouver and Victoria began their own general strikes spurred on by Winnipeg 4 Most strike leaders such as Edmonton s Joe Knight Calgary s Mrs Jean MacWilliams and Amherst s Frank Burke were OBU affiliates 5 A S Wells leader of the BC Federation of Labour at the time was a founding member of the OBU The AFL and the TLC resisted the secession by what would soon become the OBU OBU members and unions were expelled from most local trades councils Nonetheless tens of thousands of workers left the AFL TLC to join the OBU They included loggers hard rock miners coal miners longshoremen construction workers metalworkers and shop craft workers The One Big Union aimed to organize by industry rather than by trade in response to the capitalist system s de emphasis of craftsmanship Taylorism and its burgeoning demand for cheap unskilled labour 6 The OBU s revolutionary program was evident in its constitution s preamble The O B U seeks to organize the wage worker not according to craft but according to industry according to class and class needs and calls upon all workers irrespective of nationality sex or craft to organize into a workers organization so that they may be enabled to more successfully carry on the every day fight over wages hours of work etc and prepare themselves for the day when production for profit shall be replaced by production of use 7 lt ref gt By 1919 the OBU s membership had reached 70 000 Although primarily based in Western Canada the OBU had a significant presence in Nova Scotia organizing coal workers during the Cape Breton Labour War of the early 1920s as well as nearly all of Amherst s mine workers 1 Fall editThe OBU s zenith was in late 1919 and early 1920 However it rapidly declined due to the hostility of employers the media state authorities and rival unions it was also undermined by the Communist Party 8 Employers refused to bargain with OBU representatives and organizers were beaten kidnapped and dismissed from coalfields 9 10 The OBU was also wracked by an internal dispute over organization and funding that resulted in the exit of the Lumber Workers Industrial Union 11 By 1921 the OBU had only 5 000 members and by 1927 only 1 600 almost all of them in Winnipeg under Russell s leadership By 1922 most of the union s income came from a lottery that ran in its weekly bulletin 12 At the time lotteries were illegal in Canada but it took the authorities years to successfully prosecute the union The bulletin had a large circulation because of the lottery with even businessmen buying it for the lottery coupons During the late 1920s the OBU briefly joined the All Canadian Congress of Labour and considered joining the Canadian Congress of Labour during World War II but by then nearly all of its members were employees of the Winnipeg Transit System In 1956 the One Big Union consisting of 24 000 members merged with the Canadian Labour Congress References edit a b Berry David September 17 2019 One Big Union The Canadian Encyclopedia Retrieved October 24 2023 Monto 2012 p 71 Campbell J Peter 1995 The Feminist Challenge to the Canadian Left 1900 1918 review Labour Le Travail 36 351 doi 10 2307 25143993 ISSN 0700 3862 JSTOR 25143993 Isitt Benjamin 2007 Searching for Workers Solidarity The One Big Union and the Victoria General Strike of 1919 PDF Labour Le Travail 60 9 41 Bercuson David J 1972 Western Labour Radicalism and the One Big Union The Twenties in Western Canada Canadian Museum of History pp 32 49 doi 10 2307 j ctv16vgg 6 ISBN 978 1 77282 378 3 Retrieved October 24 2023 Rinehart p 41 sfn error no target CITEREFRinehart help Logan 1948 p 313 Newell Peter E 2008 The Impossibilists A Brief Profile of the Socialist Party of Canada Athena Press pp 175 76 ISBN 978 1 84748 323 2 Rinehart 1975 p 48 Monto 2012 p 75 Haq 1989 One Big Union Bulletin University of Manitoba Libraries Retrieved November 3 2023 Works cited editHaq Gordon 1989 British Columbia Loggers and the Lumber Workers Industrial Union 1919 1922 Labour Le Travail 23 67 90 doi 10 2307 25143136 JSTOR 25143136 Logan Harold A 1948 Trade Unions in Canada Their Development and Functioning Macmillan LCCN 48003282 Monto Tom 2012 Protest and Progress Three Labour Radicals in Early Edmonton Crang Publishing Rinehart James W 1975 The Tyranny of Work Longman Canada ISBN 978 0 7747 3029 7 Further reading editBercuson David J 1978 Fools and Wise Men The Rise and Fall of the One Big Union McGraw Hill Ryerson ISBN 0070826447 Bercuson David J 1990 Syndicalism Sidetracked Canada s One Big Union In van der Linden Marcel Thorpe Wayne eds Revolutionary Syndicalism an International Perspective Scolar Press pp 221 236 ISBN 0 85967 815 6 Devine Jason 2009 You understand we are radical The United Mine Workers of America District 18 and the One Big Union 1919 1920 PDF Honours thesis University of Calgary Friesen Gerald 1976 Yours in Revolt The Socialist Party of Canada and the Western Canadian Labour Movement Labour Le Travail 139 157 JSTOR 25139889 Heron Craig ed 1998 The Workers Revolt in Canada 1917 1925 University of Toronto Press ISBN 9781442682566 Newell Peter E 2008 The Impossibilists A Brief History of the Socialist Party of Canada Athena Press ISBN 9781847483232 Warrian Peter 1971 The Challenge of the One Big Union Movement in Canada 1919 1921 MA thesis University of Waterloo External links editOne Big Union weekly bulletin 1919 34 University of Manitoba Libraries Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title One Big Union Canada amp oldid 1213646831, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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