Episode
24 May 1919: Drumheller miners strike
- Published
- May 24, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 76
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Summary
On this day, 24 May, 1919, thousands of coalminers in Alberta, Canada walked off the job in a dispute over pay, the cost of living, and conditions. They were organised in the One Big Union: a revolutionary union which planned to organise all workers together and take control of society. 13 mine companies in Drumheller refused to negotiate and hired returning war veterans, arming them with clubs and iron bars and giving them free alcohol to terrorise the workers and beat and torture organisers, while the police turned a blind eye. By August the strike was broken. Learn more about the One Big Union and the Industrial Workers of the World in Canada in episode 52 of our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e52-the-iww-in-canada/ Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon . If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory . See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/today Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History