Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques
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The Printers' Strike of 1872
Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted March, 2004
this Ontario Heritage Trust plaque, here on the northeast corner of Queen's Park Crescent East and Grosvenor Street, has this to say:
Coordinates: 43.66195 -79.3898 |
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The Nine-Hour Movement of 1872 was a broad labour effort to achieve a shorter work day through concerted strike action. The printers of the Toronto Typographical Union went on strike for a nine-hour day in late March. On April 15, they paraded with union supporters to Queen's Park. Near here, a crowd 10,000 strong rallied in their support. Employers, led by Liberal George Brown of the "Globe", had strike leaders charged with criminal conspiracy. Seeking workers' support, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald passed the Trade Union Act which established the legality of labour organizations. Although certain restrictions remained on union activity, the strike won the TTU a nine-hour day and significantly altered relations between workers, employers and the government.
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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.
> Posted April 23, 2013
And the fight is still going to keep a normal work week.
Les Worrall
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