The Nova Scotia Coal Strikes of 1922 to 1925 National Historic Event
Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Address :
17 Museum Street, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2014-07-07
Dates:
-
1922 to 1925
(Flourished)
Other Name(s):
-
The Nova Scotia Coal Strikes of 1922 to 1925
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
2011-35, 2011-35-A
Importance:
The success of the miners in "standing the gaff" encouraged pride and a distinctive sense of identity in Cape Breton.
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: 17 Museum Street, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
During these four years, Cape Breton coal miners demonstrated remarkable tenacity and courage in resisting wage reductions imposed by the British Empire Steel Corporation. Despite desperate living conditions and pressure from company police and the military, they drew on shared workplace and community ties to “stand the gaff.” The success of the miners’ union in defending collective bargaining rights marked the beginning of a new era in Canadian labour relations policies. This notable moment in working-class mobilization also contributed to a strong sense of shared identity in the mining communities of Cape Breton and Nova Scotia.