A summer of extreme tension in the southern coalfields changed Saskatchewan labour history forever.
A high-stakes standoff unfolded through the month of August 1931. Mining families in the Bienfait-Estevan area were facing brutal working conditions and steep wage cuts during the dark days of the Great Depression.
By late August, 100 per cent of the local miners had secretly signed union cards with the Mine Workers’ Union of Canada.
This bold organizing effort set off a massive strike for better safety, fair pay and human dignity.
Corporate and political pushback was incredibly fierce.
The peaceful labour action in August laid the groundwork for the tragic Estevan Riot just a few weeks later in September.
It remains a definitive chapter in the prairie fight for workers' rights.
Learn more about 100 Years of CKRM at 620ckrm.com.
100 Years of Saskatchewan History
This article is part of a series that celebrates both the history of Saskatchewan and the 100th anniversary of one of Saskatchewan's most storied radio stations. For more key moments from the last 100 years, visit the CKRM timeline.
