Victory in Newfoundland as workers defy law
Canadian auto workers show their militancy and appeal for support from U.S. workers.
In November 1983, the workers of British Columbia in western Canada drove back the attacks of the province’s right-wing Social Credit government with a partial general strike. In the weeks of March and early April of this year, the Newfoundland workers in eastern Canada inflicted a defeat on the right-wing Progressive Conservative government in their province. They also carried out a partial general strike.
Road workers, transport workers, clerks and court employees all stopped work. They were demanding parity with other workers in similar types of employment and an end to the law which designated 49% of the workers in any public-sector bargaining unit as “essential.” This means in any strike, 49% of the workers must remain at work.
Mass arrests
The strike of the Newfoundland workers was illegal. The government ordered mass arrests. Over 120 workers were arrested, but mass pickets and demonstrations took place and they were rorced to end the arrests.
The Newfoundland Federation of Labor backed the 5,000 workers on strike with demonstrations and finance. They threatened a general strike of all 80,000 workers in the province. The New Democratic Party also backed the strike. Their provincial leader was one of those arrested for picketing.
The strike was settled with the government promising parity of wages in the coming contract negotiations. This strike and the B.C. strike of 1983 show the magnificent fighting traditions of Canadian labor and its determination to fight the attempts of Canadian big business to offload its crisis on the backs of workers.
Lessons
There are important lessons from both these strikes. In particular, U.S. labor which is surrounded by restrictive anti-union laws should take note. These strikes showed that where mass support is mobilized and a determined lead given, right-wing governments can be defeated and anti-labor laws and arrests can be successfully defied.
In the coming period, the great industrial provinces of Ontario and Quebec and the provinces of central Canada will join the militant fighters of the coastal belts. When they do they will rock Canadian capitalism to its foundations and inspire workers throughout all of North America.