Items

• Anne Marshall Interview

  An interview of Anne Marshall conducted by Sara Diamond. Marshall discusses her early life and move to B.C; her first introduction to trade unionism in 1924 when she met supporters of the Longshore strike at her waitressing job; protection and integration of immigrant workers; equal pensions for women; piecework; racism; wages and hours of work; policing the contracts.
• Suzie Fawcett Interview [Women's Labour History Project]

  An interview of Suzie Fawcett conducted by Sara Diamond. Fawcett discusses the difficulty of attaining training as a working class woman; waitress work at the Hotel Vancouver; working conditions in CNR owned hotels; the HREU’s attempt to organize the hotel in 1942; subsequent radicalization of staff; the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway and Transport and General Workers organizing CNR hotels; improvement in wages; Fawcett’s opposition to political unionism; raising two children while working full-time.
• Anita Anderson Interview

  An interview of Anita Anderson conducted by Sara Diamond. Anita describes how she and her sister’s politics and radicalization were influenced by the Longshore strike; Yugoslavian cultural activities in Vancouver; working as a busgirl; organizing waitresses with the Hotel and Restaurant Employee Union; blacklisting; the Yukon in the 1940’s.
• "Union Women Speak"

  This is a union-made newsletter that includes 5 articles: A union report of the Committees formation, a comparison of benefits of a union vs non-union member, union democracy, bank organizing, and leafleting.
• "Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?"

  A flyer by SORWUC that informs its members of the newly voted wage proposal, followed by a monthly budget estimation.
• "Join Us!"

  A flyer calling bank women workers to join the United Bank Workers union. It also discusses several benefits if join the union and answers FAQs.
• "is your paycheque a secret?"

  A flyer that discusses the lack of salary discussion from employers as an attempt to underpay women. It calls women to unionize and get protection as a group.
• Information Day on Women and Work

  A flyer of a full-day event timeline and information of a women's labor union event called "Information Day on Women and Work".
• "How Much Overtime Do You Do?"

  A flyer that cites office and bank workers' dissatisfaction with overtime work, as well as bargaining suggestions.
• "How many times have you been passed for promotion?"

  A flyer that discusses unfair job advancement that is gendered and insecure for seniored bank workers. It also lists suggestions for seniority acknowledgment.
• "But won't we have to punch a timeclock?"

  A flyer that talks about the benefits of unionization and calls for office workers to unionize.
• "A union means we go on strike?"

  A flyer that debunks myths about unon strikes like them being an economic problem or union organization automatically means workers on strike.
• United Bank Workers Report / Union Democracy? Try SORWUC!! / Bank Organizing / Leafletting Observed

  A report by Barb Ross from SORWUC Local #2 on a CIBC branch in Vancouver applying for unionization. An Article by Pat Barter from SORWUC Local #1. An Article by Mellody Rudd from AUCE Local #2. An Article by Anne Moody from AUCE Local #2. All written works expose the importance for women to union and the feminist weight of SORWUC.
• Update on the Bimini Strike

  An Article by Joan Woodward in Priorities Vol 5 Numer 12, December 1977. It provides more details on Bimini's strike, it explains the "fading away" operation from the employer through an interview with a waitress, Margot Holmes. The workers awere asking for benefits and a fair contract.
• Bimini's Strike

  An Article by Ardith Roscoe in Priorities Vol 5 Numer 11, November 1977. In the index page, the title appears as "Bimini's Strike" but on the article page it is "Boycot Bimini's." The article presents the begining of the strike, information on strike vote, and context to the actions.
• Priorities, August 1977: Letters re SORWUC Local 2

  A Letter by Tor (from Whitehorse) and a Letter by Elizabeth Godley (SORWUC's National Secretary) in Priorities Vol 5 Numer 10, October 1977. While the first letter is enthusiastic and projects hope from a waitress in Yukon, the second article works as a solidarity piece to the United Bank Workers (UBW).
• Victory for Women

  An Article by Cynthia Flood in Priorities Vol 5 Numer 06, June 1977. An article about bank workers rights as they received the right to unionize branch-by-branch.
• Wages Against the Housework; United Banks Workers

  A review by Ardith Roscoe and an interview by Sandra Boucher with Jackie Ainsworth and Dodie Zerr in Priorities Vol 4 Numer 12, December 1976. While the review discusses wages for houseworkers, the interview is about organizing banks in downtown Vancouver.
• Letters from the Cabinet's Wide Representation; Report from the NDP Women's Policy Conference

  A short letter (no author) and an article as report form by Melodie Corrigall and Shelly Dillon in Priorities Vol 1 Numer 09, September 1973. The letter lists the vast groups which the members are from. In Corrigall's part of the report, they present Jackie Ainsworth of WWA spoke about the attempted strike at Denny's––first strike of waitresses in 30 years.
• Women's Committee Policy Paper

  An article by the BC NDP Standing Committee on Women's Rights in Priorities Vol 1 Numer 08, August 1973. The article explores women's rights and fight in the party (NDP), as it lists the party's goals and claims the sexism that exists towards women outside and within the party.
• Shoppers Drug Mart/Don't Shop at Shoppers!!

  An article (creator withheld their name) in Priorities, Vol 1 Number 06, June 1973. It narrates the history of Shoppers strike in 1972-3.
• Denny's: the Picket Stops

  An article by Gillian Campbell in Priorities, Vol 1 Number 05, May 1973. Article provides updates on the case of strike action at Denny's.
• Women at Work

  An article by unknown writer in Priorities, Vol 1 Number 03, March 1973. A general view on labour action happening in BC at that time: Wardair Stewardesses' strike, Shopper's Drug Mart worker’s fight for unionize, and Denny's Restaurant boycott.
• SORWUC- Service, Office and Retail Workers Union Canada

  The Service, Office and Retail Workers Union of Canada (SORWUC) was an independent union, established in 1972 by a Founding Convention of 24 women, with the intention of representing and organizing occupations that were not included in the traditional trade unions of the time. The union developed out of the Working Women’s Association, an organization that sought to provide support to the adversities facing working women, such as obtaining equal pay, day care provision, and job security. SORWUC was an unaffiliated, feminist, member-controlled union, and their constitution stated their aims as being: to bargain collectively on behalf of members; to improve working conditions; and to help provide job security. By 1976, SORWUC had organized four day care centres, five social service units, one legal office, one student office, and a tuxedo rental store. SORWUC also began organizing bank workers in 1975 and eventually established a specific chapter for the workers in the finance industry, Local 2, United Bank Workers, and later, Local 4, Bank and Finance Workers. The union was financially supported by its members and by donations from other unions and organizations, and ran its offices on a volunteer basis. [https://guides.library.ubc.ca/labourhistoryarchives/sorwuc]
• Hotel and Restaurant Employee's Union Local 28

  The Hotel Industry was one of the first industries unionized in B.C., the first charter being granted in 1900 to the Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Union Local No. 28. Gradually the smaller locals began merging until 1974, when the Beverage Dispensers' Union, Local No. 676, and the Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Union, Local No. 28, merged to become the Hotel and Restaurant Employees' and Bartenders' Union, local No. 16. The final province-wide merger occurred in 1976 with the creation of the Hotel, Restaurant, and Culinary Employees' and Bartenders' Union, having 12,000 unionized employees under Local 40. [Description from the UBC RBSC Hotel, Restaurant and Culinary Employees' and Bartenders' Union, Local 40 fonds]