Posted: Friday, 1 May 2009

On May Day 90 years ago, metal and building trades workers in Winnipeg said "enough".

Enough of trying to get by on inadequate wages ravaged by massive inflation after World War I.

Enough of having their legitimate requests ignored.

Enough lack of respect.

So they went on strike and were soon joined by other workers - union and non-union - when the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Congress, representing labour across the city, declared Canada's first General Strike.

By May 15th virtually the entire working population of Winnipeg had gone on strike.

The strike lasted six weeks and it showed the country and indeed the world that workers, by acting together in solidarity, have power.

That by acting together they can demand and can get respect.

It was only through violence and the use of police and thugs enlisted by the city's wealthy elite that the strike was ended and the leaders arrested.

And while the courts jailed leaders like J.S. Woodsworth, they could not put ideas behind bars or keep them there.

Our modern labour movement was born in Winnipeg - it is a debt that every working person who enjoys the benefits of being in a union owes to those brave Sisters and Brothers - the workers of Winnipeg.

We can never forget the sacrifices made by those who came before us in our Canadian labour movement.

We can never forget that union rights were not given to us - we fought hard for them.

And we can never forget that the cause of the Winnipeg General Strike workers is still our cause today, the reason why we join unions.

Unions do not choose to strike lightly nor do we underestimate the consequences.

But the collective withdrawal of workers' labour is a fundamental human right.

We fight for that right to strike here in Canada and all around the world.

And today we celebrate the brave workers who showed Winnipeg and Canada that the right to strike is stronger than police batons, is more powerful than violence, and cannot be taken away - not by passing laws, not by jailing our leaders, not by threatening workers.

That is the lesson of the Winnipeg General Strike, and that is a lesson the labour movement will never forget.

Click here to read what global unions are saying about May Day