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The Local Labour Council Throughout The Years

The First World War had its effect on the labour movement as it did on many other things in what had been a placidly flowing reasonably undisturbed way of life, easier for those with wealth than for those without, but still slow-moving and placid.

In 1916 (December 1lth) there was a disastrous fire at the Quaker Oats Company. There were 22 fatalities. The plant was almost completely destroyed and the embers burned most of the winter. The County Court House also was involved in the fire.

This fire, with its tragic loss of life, loss of jobs and some indications that the company might move elsewhere cast a mantle of gloom over the community. Mayor J. J. Duffus convened three community suppers in February and March, 1917, for business, professional and union men. One dinner was for juniors, another was for seniors, and the third was for trades and labour representatives called together by their President John J. Hartley at the request of Mr. Duffus.

The purpose of the meetings was for the discussion of the industrial outlook of Peterborough, the general welfare of the city, including the military activities and other interests.

Although the disastrous fire had left doubts with many in the community as to the practicability of the Quaker Oats Company remaining in Peterborough, they were reassured by the manager, Mr. W. H. Denham. He indicated that the Quaker Oats Company would enlarge the plant and suggested that a high level bridge would be an advantage to both the company and the public. He indicated that work that the company was having done in Sudbury was of a temporary nature, The Labour Council was heavily involved in organization and municipal affairs. For many years in Peterborough, Civic Elections took place on New Year's Day. In 1918 the voters endorsed the principle of electing aldermen by a general vote. This meant that the Ward system was rejected for the second time. The system of election when the city was incorporated was by general vote. The city returned to the ward system when Ashburnham, which had been a community in its own right at one time, failed to seat any members on Council for two elections. This took place in 1910. Two Aldermen were elected for each of the five wards -- one coming up for election each year from each ward.

Peterborough was the first city in Ontario to elect its aldermen for a two-year term.

Labour's voice was now being heard in regard to wages and working conditions and the social system generally. Workers were insisting on shorter hours, better safety standards, compensation for injury on the job and proper apprenticeship programs. Inflation was prevalent but wages had not kept pace with spiralling costs. Workers, through their Labour Council, wished a say in how the community was being run. They felt they could not do so under the ward system. Their candidates were getting defeated every time they went to the polls. The ward system was defeated at the polls and this came something of a shock to municipal politicians.

The City Council of the day decided to abide by the wishes of the majority but they inserted a ringer in the by-law. This was "that voters must vote for four aldermen but they could vote for five". Successive Labour Councils exerted effort to get this by-law changed, without success. The writer can even recall being told that organized labour requested the change to the system which included the "must vote for four" provisions without mentioning that that particular provision was inserted by Council after the fact. It is only in very recent years that a change has taken place.

The "must vote for four" ringer inserted by City Council boomeranged in the 1919 municipal elections. Four representatives of organized labour were elected and a fifth man was elected who could be counted on to support the position of organized labour.

The Labour Council put forward a strong program which aroused considerable interest. The Council Chambers were overflowing on nomination night. This was the first time that nominations had been held in the evening, which might account to some degree for the crowd.

Many people were there because they were frustrated and dissatisfied with the manner in which the 1918 Council was handling the building of the new Hunter Street Bridge.

Robert Morrison, an electrician, headed the polls, along with Mr. Harry Gainey, a barber and a trade unionist and a person whose records and files have provided much of the background material of this writer and many other local labour historians. Mr. Alex Murray, a machinist, was also elected. Mr. Murray was an active trade unionist too. Others elected were J. J. Turner and James Hamilton. All of the above were elected for two years. The fourth candidate nominated by organized labour was James Garside, a machinist, who ran sixth and was the leader among those elected for one year. Four other aldermen were elected for one year. The mayor was unopposed.

A difficulty arose at the first meeting of the Council because the Council refused the Labour Council's nominee for a three-year term on the Board of the Peterborough Public Library.

Alderman Mcintyre, who was often sympathetic to organized labour, lined up with the labour aldermen and supported Thomas Ogilvie. Five other aldermen supported Frank Sollit for re-appointment. The Mayor cast the deciding vote in favour of Frank Sollit.

This aroused the Labour Council and they argued that they should have a representative on the Library Board. At the January meeting of the Labour Council one member said in anger: "We asked for nothing more than we were entitled to. At the municipal elections we only nominated four representatives proving that we had no desire to obtain a majority of the Council seats. The Council action only means that the class struggle has been introduced and it should be noted that it was not started by organized labour".

The necessity of participation in political action at all levels must have been driven home with some emphasis because that same evening an independent Labour Party was formed in Peterborough.