The Winnipeg Strike

In the June 21, 1919, there was a strike in Winnipeg. After the world war on November 1918, a thousand and thousand of soldiers returned to the Winnipeg. That led human resource superabundant. Many workers did more things than usual but just got a little pay. The bosses mistreated them. So after the strike beginning, even policeman wanted to join those strikers. Those entrepreneurs thought those strikers were bad boys. People didn’t need to pay any sympathy to them. The entrepreneurs gave those strikers an ultimatum, they must return to their job at 10:00a.m.

Next day or they would be fired. The entrepreneurs believed those strikers wanted to start a revolution. But the real purpose was strikers wanted their bosses treated them like a decent human being. During this strike, almost ten people were killed and many wounded. In the morning of June 16, the Royal Police arrested ten of the strike leaders. Strikers were very angry. Government had to bail six leaders to avoid severe condition. But it was no use at all. Strikers were as angry as before. At June 21, strikers arrived downtown to protest the arrest. They threw everything they had in their hands, even bricks. A lot of people were injured, forced to go to hospitals, two more man were killed.

This strike turned to truly ugly. But some entrepreneurs still didn’t understand them. They wanted police to put down the strike by force if necessary. Finally, policeman put down the strike, and entrepreneurs promised that they would treat them as a decent human being. Anyway, strikers got the things that they wanted.