- 1919-Conference - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WGSCC - SSHRC Grant
by James Naylor 06 Jul '18

06 Jul '18

Hi everyone, We just got word that we did not receive the SSHRC Connections grant for which we had applied. This comes as a surprise, although we did apply early in order to be able to re-apply should there be a snag. This is clearly what we will be doing. We will be receiving a letter from SSHRC explaining the decision, which should give us something to go on when we prepare our new application. This is a hiccough, although we have strong support from other sources and time to respond. We can discuss all of this at our upcoming meeting on Monday, July 16, at 1:30 at our regular meeting space: Room 2B23 at the University of Winnipeg. Jim James Naylor Professor Department of History Brandon University 270 18th Street Brandon, MB R7A 6A9 Canada Office: 204 727 9664 Cell: 204 720 2117 Naylor(a)BrandonU.ca<mailto:Naylor@BrandonU.ca> people.brandonu.ca/naylorj/ [cid:image001.png@01D3620B.5A4D3D10]

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WGSCC - Our next meeting
by James Naylor 12 Jun '18

12 Jun '18

Hi everyone, I am emailing about the next meeting of the Winnipeg General Strike Conference Committee. At our last meeting we decided by consensus to meet again sometime in mid-June. On reflection and in the interest of not holding redundant meetings, it seems to me that we should put that off until after June 30, the date by which we are to hear back from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SHRCC) about our grant application. Given the importance of this grant, we would be meeting soon after receiving news back from them in any case. It should also be after the next meeting (on July 3) of the "central committee" overseeing all 1919 events (which now seems to be calling itself the "1919 Advisory Committee." Their decisions could also affect our deliberations as well. For selfish reasons, I'm going to suggest meeting during the week of July 14-21 since I plan to be in Winnipeg during that time in any case. It will potentially make it easier to meet in an evening if that is what people want. If that week is difficult, we could meet before that (but after July 3), which would be entirely fine for me as well. Bear in mind that there are always going to be people who can't make a meeting, although if very few can come, it creates a problem. So, get back to me on whether that week is alright, and whether an afternoon or evening meeting is preferable (U of W people: is there any difficulty getting into the Wesley Hall and the Oral History room in the evenings?) Also, if there are pressing issues, let me know and we can potentially discuss them on the listserv. I hope all are enjoying summer! Jim James Naylor Professor Department of History Brandon University 270 18th Street Brandon, MB R7A 6A9 Canada Office: 204 727 9664 Cell: 204 720 2117 Naylor(a)BrandonU.ca<mailto:Naylor@BrandonU.ca> people.brandonu.ca/naylorj/<https://people.brandonu.ca/naylorj/> [cid:image001.png@01D1CCA7.E31D2D80]

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JOHN RAE AS A ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER RE: DISABILILTIES AND LABOUR RIGHTS
by Krishna Lalbiharie 13 Apr '18

13 Apr '18

Hi, folks! My apologies for pressing this now, but we've little time left re: SSHRC grant app. Rhonda has rightly reminded our WGSCC Committee that our conference ought to include labour voices, which reflect people with disabilities. To that end, she has suggested that we approach John Rae as a prospective roundtable speaker, whose bio can be viewed here: http://www.innoversity.com/roadmap/speakers/john-rae/ Says Rhonda (of Rae): "Rae was an active union member in the ON public service; he remains an active advocate for people with disabilities and their workplace struggles; he can speak expertly to challenges with human rights commissions for people with disabilities dealing with workplace discrimination; he also played a key role in the Canadian Human Rights Museum’s universal access committee; and has consulted with CMHR on a variety of issues related to people with disabilities." It sounds like a no-brainer to me. Rae can easily fit into the second Roundtable panel and, what's more, will serve as a critical and unique, leading voice in conversations re: disability rights and labour issues. Can I get a vote, here, from committee members to extend Rae a Roundtable invite? And quickly (forgive me)? KL 204.899.8687

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ADD JERRY WOODS AS "ATTENDING" RE: ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS (SSHRC GRANT)
by Krishna Lalbiharie 12 Apr '18

12 Apr '18

JERRY WOODS has agreed to participate in our Roundtable on *Building an Inclusive Labour Movement.* *Jim M., Rhonda and Paul J:* Is it too late to include Jerry in our SSHRC app? His info. is as follows: JERRY WOODS: Past chair, MB Human Rights Commission; Indigenous labour rights activist WINNIPEG, MB Status: *ATTENDING* This is FANTASTIC! KL 204.899.8687 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: JERRY WOODS <jerryw(a)shaw.ca> Date: Thu, Apr 12, 2018 at 9:06 AM Subject: Re: SPEAKING REQUEST RE: 1919 WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE CENTENARY CONFERENCE (MAY 9-11, 2019 | WINNIPEG, MB) To: Krishna Lalbiharie <krishna.lalbiharie(a)gmail.com> Hi Krishna. I accept your invitation with pleasure. Thank you Sent from my iPhone

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Responses to Proposals
by James Naylor 12 Apr '18

12 Apr '18

Hi all, I'm going to contact those who made proposals and tell them, for the most part, that they have been accepted and we will get back to them closer to the time of the conference with the schedule and any other guidelines. For those who were not there, we returned to the issue late in the meeting. There were 3 proposals that we were debating: Mancini, Fairbairn, and Bako. We decided to find a place for Mancini in one of the other panels, and to reject Fairbairn's proposal. On Bako, we decided that I would contact him and suggest that he play some other role in the conference. Shortly afterwards, I was talking to my daughter Adrie, who some of you know (she works for Workers United in Toronto) who had just returned from the Labor Notes conference in Chicago. She was quite keen that we have a session on young workers and said that she would be willing to participate and/or to find someone. I think she has a point that we do want to have something addressing young workers as it would be attractive to the MFL Young Members Assembly. I won't contact Bako immediately, but let me know what you think about constructing a session addressing young workers. Also, after the deadline I was contacted by Myer Siemiatycki at Ryerson, who missed the deadline and wanted to see if he could still apply. He was a contributor to Craig Heron, ed., The Workers' Revolt in Canada, 1917-1925. He is interested in presenting on the Mathers' Commission that was investigating industrial relations in 1919. I said that I would ask the committee if we would accept a proposal from him. Jim James Naylor Professor Department of History Brandon University 270 18th Street Brandon, MB R7A 6A9 Canada Office: 204 727 9664 Cell: 204 720 2117 Naylor(a)BrandonU.ca<mailto:Naylor@BrandonU.ca> people.brandonu.ca/naylorj/<https://people.brandonu.ca/naylorj/> [cid:image001.png@01D1CCA7.E31D2D80]

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STATUS REPORT ON ROUNDTABLES RE: SSHRC GRANT APPLICATION — GREAT NEWS!!!!
by Krishna Lalbiharie 11 Apr '18

11 Apr '18

Greetings! After my Sunday, April 8, 2018 appeal to all 13 identified prospective WGSCC roundtable participants, I am pleased to report the following, which is current as of this writing: *1. POVERTY AND THE FIGHT FOR A MATERIAL EXISTENCE (THE FIGHT FOR A BETTER LIFE)* DEENA LADD: Workers’ Action Centre Toronto, ON Status: *ATTENDING* JOHN CLARKE: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty Toronto, ON Status: *ATTENDING* VICTOR ELKINS: Hospital Employees Union Vancouver, BC Status: *ATTENDING* SEAN SMITH: Toronto Airport Workers’ Council Toronto, ON Status: *ATTENDING* *2. BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE LABOUR MOVEMENT (SOLIDARITY ACROSS BOUNDARIES)* FRED HAHN: CUPE Ontario Toronto (Markham), ON Status: *ATTENDING* CHRIS RAMSAROOP: Justice for Migrant Workers Toronto, ON Status: *ATTENDING* PAM PALMATER: Indigenous Rights Advocate/Author/Academic (Ryerson University) Toronto, ON Status: *TENTATIVELY ATTENDING; WILL CONFIRM ASAP* BILAN ARTE: Canadian Labour of Congress Ottawa, ON Status: *TENTATIVELY ATTENDING; SEEKING APPROVAL FROM EXECUTIVE* JERRY WOODS: Past Chair, MB Human Rights Commission/Indigenous Labour Rights Activist Winnipeg, MB Status: *NO REPLY* *3. MAKING LABOUR A SOCIAL FORCE & POLITICAL LEADER (BUILDING A WORKING-CLASS ALTERNATIVE)* SUZANNE MacNEIL: President, Halifax-Dartmoth and District Labour Council Halifax, NS Status: *TENTATIVELY ATTENDING; WILL CONFIRM ASAP* BASIA SOKAL: President, Winnipeg Labour Council Winnipeg, MB Status: *ATTENDING* ALIA KARIM: Fight for $15 Movement Toronto, ON Status: *ATTENDING* SCOTT CHRICTON: IBEW 424/Alberta Labour History Institute Board Edmonton, AB Status: *ATTENDING* ++++++++++ This has been a very fruitful appeal, which can be summarized as follows: *ATTENDING: 9* *TENTATIVELY ATTENDING: 3* *NO REPLY: 1* *TOTAL: 13* *It’s my recommendation that we can include all prospective roundtable participant names within the SSHRC application, save for Jerry Woods, who has yet to reply, unfortunately.* To the latter, I will continue to seek out Jerry’s participation this week and moving forward. Alongside, Leslie Spillett would be a great addition to our conference — this, as discussed at the March 3, 2018 meeting of the WGSCC Committee. I will approach her as you all advise. All my best for now! Krishna 204.899.8687 krishna.lalbiharie(a)gmail.com

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ALL 13 ROUNDTABLE INVITATIONS AWAY! (AND OTHER MATTERS...)
by Krishna Lalbiharie 08 Apr '18

08 Apr '18

Friends, *ALL 13 ROUNDTABLE REQUEST PACKAGES* — including one to Scott Chricton (IBEW 424) of the Alberta Labour History Board as so recommended by Jeff Taylor! — *HAVE BEEN SENT OUT!* Please note that I have BCC-ed some of you on these requests where you've agreed to do a follow-up call or email with the prospective roundtabler owing to a personal connection. Thus far, I have received commitments from folks to follow-up as such: KRISHNA: Pam Palmater, Bilan Arte, Jerry Woods, Alia Karim PAUL MOIST: Victor Elkins, Fred Hahn DAVID CAMFIELD: Deena Ladd, John Clarke, Suzanne MacNeil JEFF TAYLOR: Scott Chricton If any one has a personal connection with Sean Smith or Chris Ramsaroop, please indicate so and follow-up as you can (otherwise I will do so myself): Sean Smith: Toronto Airport Workers’ Council ONTARIO Sean(a)unifor2002.org Chris Ramsaroop: Justice for Migrant Workers ONTARIO ramsaroopchris(a)gmail.com Finally, I'm attaching a sample ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER REQUEST PACKAGE, which was individuated for all 113 asks! (Sending John Clarke's example.) Okay! I'm off to a thing, but back home by 10, I suspect. Will be super attendant to these matters in advance of our Wednesday SSHRC report back meeting, I assure you. All my best! KL 204.899.8687

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ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER PITCH AND EMAIL CONTACT CONFIRMATIONS
by Krishna Lalbiharie 08 Apr '18

08 Apr '18

Hi, all! So, this is very URGENT, as discussed at yesterday's WGSCC Committee meeting re: SSHRC application. I am attaching a word doc pitch, which I will send (and properly configure) to all suggested ROUNDTABLE speakers. Note, too, that I will attach a proper letterhead, poster and general "ABOUT US" piece as a PDF alongside the request. *PLEASE SUGGEST CHANGES, RHONDA AND JIM M., ESPECIALLY! :-)* What's more, below (in the body of this email), please take note of the following email addresses, which, if need correcting, please do let me know! To that end, note that I haven't a current address for Jerry Woods (his old MB Human Rights Commission email is no longer receivable on his end), but I will be able to acquire said later today for close acquaintances. *Further, I still require a contact name re: IRON & EARTH (ALBERTA). Can you help, Jeff T.?* ALSO, please do indicate from the list below if you are able to do personal phone call or email follow-up with friends/colleagues that you know well — this after my initial email request of roundtable speakers this afternoon. (I would recommend that you begin contacting your personal connections either this late afternoon or tomorrow, certainly.) FYI, the following has been agreed upon (so far) re: follow-ups: *KRISHNA: Pam Palmater, Jerry Woods, Bilan Arte, Alia Karim* *PAUL MOIST: Victor Elkins, Fred Hahn* All my best for now! Hope to send all invites by noon, with follow-ups thereafter — and surely at least till Wednesday, as agreed, re: Rhonda and Jim M's request. KL 204.899.8687 ++++++++++ *1. POVERTY AND THE FIGHT FOR A MATERIAL EXISTENCE (THE FIGHT FOR A BETTER LIFE)* Deena Ladd: Workers’ Action Centre ONTARIO deena(a)workersactioncentre.org John Clarke: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty ONTARIO johnclarke(a)riseup.net Victor Elkins: Hospital Employees’ Union BC velkins(a)shaw.ca Sean Smith: Toronto Airport Workers’ Council ONTARIO Sean(a)unifor2002.org *2. BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE LABOUR MOVEMENT (SOLIDARITY ACROSS BOUNDARIES)* Fred Hahn: CUPE Ontario ONTARIO fhahn(a)cupe.on.ca Chris Ramsaroop: Justice for Migrant Workers ONTARIO ramsaroopchris(a)gmail.com Pam Palmater: Indigenous Rights Advocate/Author/Academic (Ryerson University) ONTARIO myraraworld(a)hotmail.com ppalmater(a)politics.ryerson.ca Bilan Arte: Canadian Labour Congress ONTARIO arte.bilan(a)gmail.com Jerry Woods: Past chair, MB Human Rights Commission; Indigenous labour rights activist MANITOBA email: TBA *MAKING LABOUR A SOCIAL FORCE & POLITICAL LEADER (BUILDING A WORKING-CLASS ALTERNATIVE)* Suzanne MacNeil: Halifax Labour Council NOVA SCOTIA president(a)halifaxlabour.ca Basia Sokal: Winnipeg Labour Council MANITOBA bjsokal(a)icloud.com wlcpresident(a)winnipeglabour.ca Alia Karim: FF15 ONTARIO aliak(a)yorku.ca “Name”: Iron & Earth ALBERTA "email" ++++++++++ *ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER REQUEST:* Greetings, <INSERT NAME>! I write to you on behalf of the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike Centenary Conference Committee, which proudly hosts *THE 1919 WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE CENTENARY CONFERENCE (WGSCC): BUILDING A BETTER WORLD from May 9-11, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.* As you know, the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 was a landmark moment in North American working-class history. In May and June that year, over 30,000 workers ceased work for six weeks. Provoked by the inequities of industrial capitalism, the authoritarianism of their workplaces, the brutal experiences of the First World War, rising prices and stagnating wages, an insecure economic outlook, intransigent employers, and a federal state that responded to their demands with growing repression, the city’s workers stood together in an astounding display of unity. This was also an era filled with hope; the horrors of industrialization and militarism encouraged many to think of ways of constructing a better world. The combination of anger and hope was infectious. In 1919, Winnipeg workers displayed an inspiring unity, facing hunger, threats of permanent dismissal and blacklisting, and violence at the hands of authorities, most notably in the vicious assault they unleashed on “Bloody Saturday,” killing two workers and injuring many more. A century later, the WGSCC Committee seeks to commemorate, honour and better understand these events by way of this historical conference gathering of approximately 200 activists, organizers, scholars, trade unionists and social justice and labour rights advocates from across Canada and beyond. Over the course of three themed days (May 9-11, 2019), WGSCC delegates will participate in concurrent sessions led by several invited conference paper presenters — *with each day concluding with a PLENARY/ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION led by three-to-five solicited speakers, whose experiences, expertise and prolific work in the area of labour rights and related social justice movements and scholarship remains significant.* *To that end, the WCSCC Committee invites you to participate as a WGSCC ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER in one of three plenary sessions planned within our conference’s program schedule, which is arranged under the following themes:* 1. Poverty and the Fight for a Material Existence: The Fight for a Better Life — May 9, 2019 2. Building an Inclusive Labour Movement: Solidarity Across Boundaries — May 10, 2019 3. Labour as a Social Force & Political Leader: A Working-Class Alternative — May 11, 2019 *Specifically, we invite you to participate as a WGSCC ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER on:* <INSERT THEME> While the WGSCC Committee recognizes that our event takes place more than a year from this initial writing,* your quick and positive response to this invitation will certainly help in our overall logistical conference planning and the arrangement of your needs as a WGSCC ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER.* *What’s more, please note that our fundraising efforts and other supports and partnerships will more-than-likely allow for your full travel and accommodation expenses, although we do ask that you request funding from your representative organizations where applicable and possible. * Together with the assistance from organizations and public institutions like the Canadian Committee on Labour History (CCLH); the Canadian Association for Work and Labour Studies (CAWLS); Faculties of Arts at Brandon University, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg; the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL); and the Winnipeg Labour Council (WLC) we hope to receive you as a WGSCC ROUNDTABLE SPEAKER in respect of this unique and critical event in the history of Canadian labour rights activism and human rights and anti-poverty advocacy. Note, too, that the WGSCC Committee is actively securing the participation of one or more renowned and prominent keynote speakers, which, together with a host of other conference activities, promises to make our 1919 commemorative efforts a fantastic draw for the whole of Winnipeg and Canada, altogether! Again, the WGSCC Committee looks forward to your positive and quick response to this request and is available to answer any questions you may have! To this end, please connect with: Jim Naylor WGSCC Committee Chair 204.727.9644 (office) 204.720.2117 (cell) Naylor(a)BrandonU.ca Please do survey our current WGSCC website for further information: 1919-2019.com Follow us on Facebook, too: facebook.com/1919WinnipegGeneralStrikeConference/ In Solidarity! Krishna Lalbiharie WGSCC Committee Member 204.899.8687 krishna.lalbiharie(a)gmail.com *WGSCC ROUNDTABLE THEMES* *1. Poverty and the Fight for a Material Existence: The Fight for a Better Life — May 9, 2019* Just as workers in 1919 sought to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty and win a fairer share of the fruits of economic growth, 21st-century workers are facing worsening material conditions: stagnating wages and increasing precarious employment, along with cuts to social services that increase demands upon working-class families. The “Fight for 15,” struggles for family supports such as child care, and the rise of antipoverty movements are at the forefront of today’s organizing, reflecting the ways in which neoliberalism has forced the fight for a living wage and a working-class economic security onto centre stage. *2. Building an Inclusive Labour Movement: Solidarity Across Boundaries — May 10, 2019* A century ago, Winnipeg was a divided city – not only along the lines of class, but workers were, themselves, divided along lines of race and ethnicity. A capitalist labour market pitted “British Canadian” and “immigrant” workers against each other; the First World War heightened fears of the “foreigners,” and the economic insecurity that faced returning soldiers at the end of the war led, on occasion, to confrontations on the streets of Winnipeg. Amazingly, attempts by employers to use bigotry to divide the city’s strikers failed. Today, governments and businesses use international borders, an exclusionary “citizenship” which often denies workers from abroad a range of social and labour rights, and post 9/11 xenophobia, to ensure their control over labour. The lessons of overcoming these divisions and fighting for common, expanded rights, are as central today as they were then, and include a growing understanding of the rights of Indigenous people as First Peoples and as workers. *3. Labour as a Social Force & Political Leader: A Working-Class Alternative — May 11, 2019* The Winnipeg General Strike was part of a continent-wide, even an international, labour revolt that saw unions, mass strikes and working-class parties act in their own name. In Winnipeg, despite the defeat of the strike, socialist and labour parties continued the fight by other means. This was an era in which labour was the voice of the dispossessed; if there was a solution to the problems that capitalism brought, it was represented by labour. In the 21st century, a wide range of social movements address issues that were often unimagined a century ago. Building an effective response to a wide range of assaults on the environment, and in defence of Indigenous rights, gender rights, on the rights of the disabled, and so much more, requires education, organizing, and mobilization. To what extent are these class issues that labour needs to centrally address? Can labour lead in building a better world in which all forms of oppression and exploitation are fought?

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ROUNDTABLE NAMES FOR CONTACTING RE: SSHRC GRANT
by Krishna Lalbiharie 08 Apr '18

08 Apr '18

As discussed, here's the list of the roundtable names that we need to connect with ASAP and report back by Wednesday to Rhonda and Jim re: inclusion in SSHRC application. I will personally contact the following: 1. Pam Palmater 2. Bilan Arte 3. Jerry Woods 4. Alia Karim I am assuming that we can include Basia, even though that she lives here? 1. POVERTY AND THE FIGHT FOR A MATERIAL EXISTENCE (THE FIGHT FOR A BETTER LIFE) • Deena Ladd: Workers’ Action Centre & FF15&F • John Clarke: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty • Victor Elkins: Hospital Employees’ Union (BC) • Sean Smith: Toronto Airport Workers’ Council 2. BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE LABOUR MOVEMENT (SOLIDARITY ACROSS BOUNDARIES) • Fred Hahn: CUPE Ontario • Chris Ramsaroop: Justice for Migrant Workers • Pam Palmater: Indigenous Rights Advocate/Author/Academic (Ryerson University) • Bilan Arte: Canadian Labour Congress • Jerry Woods: Past chair, MB Human Rights Commission; Indigenous labour rights activist 3. MAKING LABOUR A SOCIAL FORCE & POLITICAL LEADER (BUILDING A WORKING-CLASS ALTERNATIVE) • Suzanne MacNeil: Halifax Labour Council • Basia Sokal: Winnipeg Labour Council • Alia Karim: FF15&F • “Name”?: Iron & Earth (Alberta)

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ROOM CHANGE
by Sharon Reilly 07 Apr '18

07 Apr '18

Hello all, Please go to the History Common Room, 3rd floor, Ashdown Hall. Go up escalator to 3rd floor, turn right toward Ashdown Hall, to first door on your right. Sharon Sharon Reilly On Mon, Apr 2, 2018, 5:19 PM James Naylor, <Naylor(a)brandonu.ca> wrote: > Hi everyone, > > > The postponed meeting of the Winnipeg General Strike Conference Committee > will be this Saturday, April 7, at 1:30 in room 2B23, University of > Winnipeg. > > Agenda: > > · Reports > · Status of Round Tables > · Report regarding conference papers and sessions (Julie and Jim > M.) > · Friday night event (and related issues) > · Brandon Activities > · Finances (SSHRC proposal) > > Jim > > > James Naylor > Professor > Department of History > Brandon University > 270 18th Street > Brandon, MB R7A 6A9 > Canada > > Office: 204 727 9664 > Cell: 204 720 2117 > > Naylor(a)BrandonU.ca > people.brandonu.ca/naylorj/ > > > _______________________________________________ > 1919-Conference mailing list > 1919-Conference(a)lists.umanitoba.ca > http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/1919-conference >

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