In November of 1911, Vancouver Island coal miners, after decades of labour strife and failed attempts at union organization, invited the United Mine Workers of America to organize Island mines. During the bitter 1912-14 strike, mine owners continued to refuse to recognize the union. It was not until 1938, over twenty years later, that an agreement was officially signed between the union and Island coal companies. Bill Atkinson had organized the Nanaimo area, District 18, Local 7355. Local 7355 was run mostly by President Dan Radford, Vice-President William Leigh, and Secretary-Treasurers Percy Lawson and George Bryce. In 1946, the District set up its own Pension and Welfare Fund. As the coal industry declined in the 1950s, membership in the union dwindled. There was a minor resurgence of mining during the 1960s and 1970s but there was not enough activity to sustain a local after 1974.
published
BCAUL control number: NCAI-194
Fonds consists of the administrative records of the United Mine Workers of America Local 7355 (Nanaimo) union. Fonds is arranged in ten series: 1) Constitution; 2) Minutes; 3) Financial records; 4) Correspondence; 5) Wage Agreement papers; 6) Membership; 7) Election records; 8) Workman's Compensation records; 9) Reference and 10) Miscellaneous.
Records were donated by Georgina Bryce Bonkowski who retrieved them from her father's house after his death. George Bryce was a union official for many years.
Series descriptions available on database. Hard copy finding aid also available.