24:
343:, a faction within the TLC. Many Communists such as Henry Segal, Fred Collins, and Leo Sax gained executive posts in the C.I.O. Following the Comintern line of 'unity for a price', many WUL industrial unions were liquidated and its members distributed among the TLC affiliated craft unions. For example, the red union of Food Workers was dissolved into the respective TLC affiliated bakers', teamsters', and hotel and restaurant employees' unions.
155:"—the policy of the "Second Period" that encouraged Communists to join mainstream labour unions and progressive organizations in order to move them to the revolutionary left—this new line emphasized creating independent communist organizations. The WUL paralleled similar alternative trade union structures elsewhere: the
247:. Although members of Hamilton's Trades and Labour Council (HTLC) were initially sympathetic, the aggressive communist rhetoric scared the moderates on the council. A delegation of the strikes who came to the HTLC to ask for support and resources were turned away and denounced for their "nerve and effrontery."
307:
1933 and 1934 saw the most bitter and numerous strikes since 1920. The
Workers' Unity League affiliated unions represented 71% of the striker days during this period of time, and despite representing a minority of workers, half of all strikers were members and a majority of strikes were carried out
281:. Unemployed workers were usually a hindrance to organized labor -striking workers were often replaced by the unemployed, who were willing to work for less- but the WUL organization brought them into the labour movements fold, and instead of crossing picket lines, unemployed workers joined them.
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In 1931, the WUL had less than 7,000 members. By 1932, this had more than doubled to 15,000 workers. Between 1929 and 1932, the TLC' membership fell by 25%, from 141,000 to 105,000. At its peak in 1935, the
Workers' Unity League had over 40,000 members. The WUL's willingness to organize sectors
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made jobs hard to come by, and although conditions were bad, organizing with a union ran the risk of losing what little they had. Additionally, many workers were wary of communism- a fact only bolstered by the WUL's portrayal as a Soviet puppet in the media.
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of the
Communist International held in summer 1928 adopted a militant political line, opposed to reformism and compromise with the moderate left. The Comintern believed global capitalism had entered a 'Third Period', which would be marked by
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The
Workers' Unity League was the most active labour union of its time, and was distinguished for its willingness to strike. Sam Scarlet, veteran union organizer and member of the
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of
Communists and non-Communists against the extreme right wing. Following the Popular Front strategy, the Worker's Unity League merged into the
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The WUL provided a solid base for growth of the
Communist Party, with membership growing from 1,300 in 1930 to over 9,000 in 1935.
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The failure of the strike was a major setback for the
Workers' Unity League. The WUL faced failures in organizing miners in
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Filming
Politics: Communism and the Portrayal of the Working Class at the National Film Board of Canada, 1939-46
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miners in which the police killed three strikers, and the strike of furniture workers and chicken pluckers in
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In 1938, the CIO was expelled from the TLC, being accused of communist sympathies. A new union central, the
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635:"Canadian Communists, Revolutionary Unionism, and the "Third Period": The Workers' Unity League, 1929-1935"
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The first action of the
Workers' Unity League was a walkout in the National Steel Car Company factory in
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in Spring 1929, relaying the
Comintern's intention for a Communist labour union centre in Canada. The
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In 1935, international developments changed the strategy of the Communist International. The rise of
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during its June 1929 conference. The Workers' Unity League six months later, in January 1930.
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declared its intention of creating a 'red union centre' separate from the established
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member Harvey Murphey, 1200 workers walked off the job, most of them
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previously considered organizable was a major factor in its growth.
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511:"Revolutionary Industrial Unionism | The Canadian Encyclopedia"
660:"Estevan Coal Miners' Strike 1931 | The Canadian Encyclopedia"
463:"Canadian Labour Congress | Canadian trade union association"
354:. The CCL merged with the TLC in 1956, forming the current
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Communist Party member Samuel Carr returned from Moscow's
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Some of the unions affiliated with the WUL include the
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which was put down by calling in the Canadian army.
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The Canadian labour movement : a brief history
265:. A major difficulty faced by the WUL was that the
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186:(ACCL), the WUL organized the unemployed as well.
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293:The WUL, despite being smaller than the TLC and
437:Penner, Norman; Foot, Richard (May 30, 2017) .
402:. Toronto : Univ. of Toronto Press, 2002. p. 44
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295:All-Canadian Congress of Labour
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168:Mine Workers' Union of Canada
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136:on the instructions of the
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1089:Ironworkers
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618:Khouri 2007
263:Nova Scotia
163:in the UK.
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1165:Presidents
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564:Past Tense
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384:References
267:depression
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89:Key people
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277:, led by
239:. Led by
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79:Members
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599:cite web
362:See also
233:Hamilton
174:and the
60:Location
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833:Alberta
358:(CLC).
333:fascism
259:Alberta
237:Ontario
190:History
44:Founded
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68:Canada
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911:ACTRA
888:Yukon
638:(PDF)
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648:(1).
605:link
261:and
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