The Iwa in Canada

by Neufeld, Andrew; Parnaby, Andrew

• ISBN13: 9780921586807
• ISBN10: 0921586809
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-11-01
• Publisher: New Star Books

Summary

The IWA, while closely linked to BC, has played a crucial role in nearly every province in Canada, from the Queen Charlotte Islands to Grand Falls, Newfoundland. The IWA in Canada is a definitive history of the union that follows its progress and setbacks throughout the past century. Its predecessors, the Industrial Workers of the World, the One Big Union, and the Lumber Workers' Industrial Union are examined, as are the historical tensions between craft and industrial unionism, the drive to organize the "timber beasts", and the pioneering role of communist activists. Today, the legendary militancy of IWA members is being brought to bear on the legalistic negotiations, environmental movements, and evolutions in governmental forest policy that continue to pose challenges. Generously illustrated with historical and present-day photographs, and enriched by numerous interviews with founding unionists, The IWA In Canada also features capsule histories of each local. In-depth analysis of specific issues and events such as the mysterious death of Viljo Rosval and Jon Voutilainen, the fight for relief in the Great Depression and the Loggers' Navy can be found in sidebars that enhance the text throughout.