Unions (Provincial Workman's Association)      The precursor of the United Mine Workers' Union in Cape Breton was the Provincial Workman's Association (P.W.A.), sometimes referred to as the Provincial Miner's Association (P.M.A.). With its beginnings in Springhill in 1879, the union was an association which evolved when the men united in an effort to regain an original wage that had been doubly cut. The men walked out and refused to go back to work until their wage was restored. Within a week it was restored and this successful walkout spurred them on to form this association, and so, in 1881, the Provincial Workman's Association was incorporated into an act of the Nova Scotia Legislature.      In 1881, Robert Drummond toured Cape Breton as an agent of the P.W.A. and it was obvious that the miners here were in need of an association because wages were low, hours long and company store prices high. In spite of a hostile attitude towards unions, the miners were becoming more and more enthusiastic and soon four lodges were organized, including Drummond Lodge (South Mines), Equity (Caledonia), and Island and Unity Lodges (Bridgeport). By December 1881, over 50 percent of the island's mines had joined. Shortly after, the number of lodges increased to eight. People were still afraid to disobey the Company, and so it was often hard to find meeting places.      The P.W.A. was organized under a Grand-Council consisting of delegates from the various lodges and met semi-annually. These delegates, responsible to the membership, elected the Grand Officers. The Grand Secretary was the chief officer and received a salary for his work. This position was held by Robert Drummond and John Moffatt for a period of nineteen years and the position of Grand Master was held for many years by S.B. MacNeil.      There were also three sub-councils: Cape Breton, Pictou and Cumberland. The Cape Breton sub-council was the first formed because of the fact that Cape Breton was separated from the rest of the association. The lodges would collect money from their members which was used to aid other workers who were on strike.      The essential points of the P.W.A. were unity, equity and progress. It wanted to make the mining population a respected segment of the community. According to R.A. Drummond the objectives were: 1)     not to wage a war of Labour against Capital; 2)     to carry on work to mutual advantage of both employee and employer; 3)     not to drive trade by oppressive measures from the locality; 4)     to secure fair remuneration for labour by legitimate means; 5)     to help in the removal of any cause which hinders advancement, mentally, socially or morally.      The P.W.A. used three notable tactics to accomplish its aims: strikes, lobbying and politics. Strikes were used as a last resort when all else failed.      The history of the P.W.A. can be divided into two periods. The first period (1879-1898) was largely devoted to a reform of the conditions under which the miners lived but strikes were held in disfavour. However, they did occur.      In 1882, there was a strike at Lingan, one of four sanctioned by the P.W.A. occurring in Cape Breton; the remainder were on the mainland. In this strike the men lost a great deal but gained union recognition. The P.W.A. was officially formed in Cape Breton on July 6, 1882, and the strike was settled in 1883.      In the 1880s, the P.W.A. considered amalgamation of all lodges; however, Cape Breton members refused but agreed to send a representative to the Grand Council to keep in touch.      The P.W.A. remained fairly active in politics well into the 1890s. In 1888, Robert Anderson (Grand Secretary) was elected to public office and the Arbitration Act was passed which made the P.W.A. stronger and better known to the public and various companies. Robert Drummond was elected to the Legislative Council in 1891 and, in 1892, was assisted in obtaining an iron and copper lease.      The second period of the P.W.A. (1898-1917) was devoted to increasing the wages of the miners and improving their standard of living.      John Moffatt was now Grand Secretary (taking over from Robert Anderson) and the organization experienced an increase in membership for several reasons: 1)     regained confidence from former members; 2)     increased production of coal; 3)     the union seeking an increase in wages and trade agreements of two- and three-year periods; 4)     the extension of the Association into other areas which were not necessarily coal mining.      In 1904, the weaknesses of the union were brought out when a strike occurred at the Sydney steel plant. During the strike, the union did not have enough money or membership to handle the situation; the company took in scabs to work while the regular members were on strike. By 1907, the P.W.A. was once again only a coal miners' union. Moves were now afoot to amalgamate the P.W.A. with a new union from across the border, the United Mine Workers of America (U.M.W.). A vote to amalgamate was lost in 1907, and another favourable vote in 1908 was ruled invalid by the Grand Council.      In 1909, a number of P.W.A. lodges dissolved in Cape Breton, and District 26 of the U.M.W. was formed. This caused the P.W.A. to take a more aggressive stand, and the companies who would not recognize the U.M.W. joined in the fight on the side of the P.W.A.      In 1909, U.M.W. men from Inverness and Glace Bay went on strike to gain union recognition from the Company. The P.W.A. men worked during this time and backed the company's decision to call in the militia. The strike was settled in 1910.      The P.W.A. next joined the Canadian Federation of Labour (1909) to strengthen its position against the U.M.W. and the Dominion Coal Company under Moffatt. The P.W.A. was accused of being "company men," and the U.M.W. passed resolutions opposing negotiations between the two.      In 1915, District 26 charter was revoked because of lack of members and, in 1916, the United Mine Workers of Nova Scotia began campaigning in P.W.A. lodges. In 1917 , the two groups united to form the Amalgamated Mine Workers of Nova Scotia (A.M.A.) In 1918, the lodges of the P.W.A. were dissolved and assets divided among colliery hospitals.      The P.W.A. had made some outstanding contributions to the coal fields of Nova Scotia besides being the first union association to form in Cape Breton: 1)     It secured legislation favourable to miners, such as the Arbitration Act of 1888 passed by the Liberal Government. 2)     Strikes and lockouts were reduced. 3)     It won safety improvements in the Coal Mines Regulation Act. Between 1881 and 1909, the basic safety measures under which the collieries of the Province operated became mandatory. Government inspectors had the right to have miners' committees inspect mines became law in 1881. Also, the miners had the right to appoint their own checkweighman, and to be present at a coroner's inquest. In addition, schools of technical education were made available. Year-by-year amendments to the Mines Regulation Act were prepared and, in most cases, were granted. NEXT PAGE

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