VIVO Media Arts Centre Archive > Lake Cowichan Women’s Auxiliary

Lake Cowichan Women’s Auxiliary

Eva Wilson, Lori Belin, Lil Godfrey, June Olson and Mary Greenwell were active in the Women’s Auxiliary of the International Woodworkers Association at Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island, during the 1930’s and 1940’s. The women came from very differenct experiences and from strong trade union families (Nanaimo miners) and others from anti-union backgrounds. Most came to “The Lake” as young women married to loggers. June Olson, however, came as a teenager and grew up in Lake Cowichan. Conditions in the 1930’s were primitive: couples lived in shacks without plumbing or electricity, the hospital was in Chemainus and the road was terrible. The Women’s Auxiliary was pulled together in the 1930’s by Edna brown with the help of some of the organizers for the union. It helped to cut across the isolation many of the young wives experienced and to draw them into the struggle to organize the woods.

Audio Interview [1979]

Description

[This is a composite tape] The former auxiliary members discuss the conditions in Lake Cowichan for the loggers and their families; the formation of the Women’s Auxiliary; going from home to home to isolated logging camps to organize the auxiliary; women’s main concerns were with safety, getting a better road to the hospital, protecting and providing funds and cover for union organizers; its role as the central instrument in creating a community at Lake Cowichan – providing social events, education, political involvement, establishing the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Red Cross, activities for children, cultural activities, in addition to supporting the union’s activities; attending union conventions and federated auxiliary in Vancouver and Eugene, Oregon; forming auxiliary policy across the I.W.A. because of their large numbers and success; marching with the trekkers in the 1946 strike march to Victoria; the split of the Lake Cowichan Auxiliary in 1948; ex-members going with the W.I.U.C.; violent confrontations between the W.I.U.C. and I.W.A. [Iron River picket line dispute]; the women’s activities after the split.

Transcription

Full transcription: Lake Cowichan Women’s Auxiliary
Edited by Subject: Lake Cowichan Women’sAuxiliary (edited)

 

Title: [Lake Cowichan Women’s Auxiliary – 1/4]

Creator: Diamond, Sara

Contributor: Wilson, Eva; Belin, Lori; Godfrey, Lil; Olson, June; Greenwell, Mary

Subject: Women–Employment–British Columbia ; Women labor union members–British Columbia ; Women–Employment–British Columbia–History–20th century

Date Created: 1979

Type: Audio recording

Genre: Interviews

Extent: 1 audio cassette

Format: audio/mp3

Language: English

Identifier: OBJ_640_sideA_01

Is Part Of: Sara Diamond fonds

Series: Women’s Labour History Project

Source: Original Format: Simon Fraser University Archives. Sara Diamond fonds

Rights: Media provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy or otherwise use of this media must be obtained from the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archives.

 

Title: [Lake Cowichan Women’s Auxiliary – 2/4]

Creator: Diamond, Sara

Contributor: Wilson, Eva; Belin, Lori; Godfrey, Lil; Olson, June; Greenwell, Mary

Subject: Women–Employment–British Columbia ; Women labor union members–British Columbia ; Women–Employment–British Columbia–History–20th century

Date Created: 1979

Type: Audio recording

Genre: Interviews

Extent: 1 audio cassette

Format: audio/mp3

Language: English

Identifier: OBJ_640_sideB_01

Is Part Of: Sara Diamond fonds

Series: Women’s Labour History Project

Source: Original Format: Simon Fraser University Archives. Sara Diamond fonds

Rights: Media provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy or otherwise use of this media must be obtained from the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archives.

Title: [Lake Cowichan Women’s Auxiliary – 3/4]

Creator: Diamond, Sara

Contributor: Wilson, Eva; Belin, Lori; Godfrey, Lil; Olson, June; Greenwell, Mary

Subject: Women–Employment–British Columbia ; Women labor union members–British Columbia ; Women–Employment–British Columbia–History–20th century

Date Created: 1979

Type: Audio recording

Genre: Interviews

Extent: 1 audio cassette

Format: audio/mp3

Language: English

Identifier: OBJ_641_sideA_01

Is Part Of: Sara Diamond fonds

Series: Women’s Labour History Project

Source: Original Format: Simon Fraser University Archives. Sara Diamond fonds

Rights: Media provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy or otherwise use of this media must be obtained from the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archives.

Title: [Lake Cowichan Women’s Auxiliary – 4/4]

Creator: Diamond, Sara

Contributor: Wilson, Eva; Belin, Lori; Godfrey, Lil; Olson, June; Greenwell, Mary

Subject: Women–Employment–British Columbia ; Women labor union members–British Columbia ; Women–Employment–British Columbia–History–20th century

Date Created: 1979

Type: Audio recording

Genre: Interviews

Extent: 1 audio cassette

Format: audio/mp3

Language: English

Identifier: OBJ_641_sideB_01

Is Part Of: Sara Diamond fonds

Series: Women’s Labour History Project

Source: Original Format: Simon Fraser University Archives. Sara Diamond fonds

Rights: Media provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy or otherwise use of this media must be obtained from the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archives.