Asbestos strike (1949)

In 1949 a strike broke out at Asbestos and Thetford Mines in Quebec. In this historic labour dispute, workers called for higher wages and a healthier workplace. This strike became a symbol of two things: Premier Maurice Duplessis’s fight alongside the employers against the unions, but also the appearance of cracks in the alliance between his regime and the Roman Catholic Church. The strike, which was illegal, dragged on from 14 Feb. to 1 July. Marked by clashes between the strikers and the provincial police, it ended with minor gains for the workers.