In many ways Winnipeg was at war with itself. The city was divided socially, economically, geographically, and ethnically. 2 While labour and business battled for power, there was also an ethnic prejudice problem that plagued the city. Winnipeg was divided into two main groups: people of British origin and the more recent immigrants (who were labell

As workers increased their efforts to improve working conditions, the bitter animosities between business and labour escalated fuelling conflicts in Winnipeg. During the war, every able-bodied person was called to work to help with the war effort. In contrast to prewar conditions, there was full employment and a demand for manpower creating the perfect environment for trade-union growth. To attract new members, unions launched vast organizing drives that promoted the advantages of affiliation.11 Union membership increased rapidly as they even attracted people from occupations previously considered “sacrosanct” such as policemen, firemen, civic employees and provincial government employees.12 Unions slowly gained respect from the government and some employers. This respect translated into credibility for prospective members who believed that unions could not only win improvements in wages and working conditions but also protect them against arbitrary or unjust actions of management. Inflation accompanied full employment and labour shortages. The cost of living increased significantly, yet wages remained constant.13 The wage controls in the absence of price controls caused most workers to be unable to afford their day-to-day living expenses. The workers frustrations and anger mounted when “workers were asked to sacrifice for the war effort, while they saw business profiting more and more.”14 Many workers believed that corporate profits were increasing dramatically. They believed that capitalists were taking advantage of their “patriotic zeal” and the call for national sacrifice.15 Workers Labourers believed that the families of soldiers deserved the profits from the war, rather than the selfish and heartless capitalists. As the war continued into 1916, employers introduced changes to the workplace that increasingly angered many workers. The increase of industrialization strengthened industrial strife as the need for mass production of munitions and the need to produce high levels of output led to the intensification of work and accelerated the introduction of machinery.16 Moreover, an ever-increasing adoption of assembly-line production accompanied the mass production of munitions. The new ‘speed ups’ on the line and other efficiency measures outraged workers, who perceived these changes as a loss of control. The increase of industrialization caused many skilled workers to lose their jobs and gave them a glimpse of the hardships that were to come with the conclusion of the war.

Although the recent Russian revolution provided workers with an example of working-class power to follow, the socialist views close to home were more influential. In the beginning, workers followed the views of labour leaders, as they believed in the gradual reform of capitalism by legislative changes that provide better protection of workers and enhance their rights. However, the government did little to aid workers in achieving their goals. In

Some topics in this essay:
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