Welcome to the International Woodworkers of America Archive!
Located at the Kaatza Station Museum and Archives in Lake Cowichan British Columbia, the IWA Archive holds the records of Canada’s largest woodworkers’ labour union, covering the time period from the union’s inception during the 1930s through to its amalgamation with the United Steelworkers in 2004. The collection includes the records of IWA Canada and its predecessor organizations, as well as several IWA local unions, including the 1-80 (Duncan), 1-217 (Vancouver), and the 1-71 (Courtenay). The archive also houses an impressive collection of 1930s and 1940s forestry and labour photographs taken by Wilmer Gold, and generously loaned to the Museum and Archives by USW Local 1-1937.
This blog’s purpose is to both document the creation of the archive, and to tell the epic history contained within these records!
Latest from the Blog
- “’Give a Shantyboy Whisky and His Head Will Go ‘Round’: Liquor and Logging on the British Columbia Coast”, by Kaden WaltersHello readers! It’s been a quiet last couple of months on the blog, however, this doesn’t reflect the great deal of work that has gone on around here. Since my last post in January, I have spent the following few months away from the archive to focus on university, but Henry has been here aloneContinue reading ““’Give a Shantyboy Whisky and His Head Will Go ‘Round’: Liquor and Logging on the British Columbia Coast”, by Kaden Walters”
- “‘Logging Was to Be Their Future:’ My Family, The Logging Industry, and the I.W.A. Archive”, by Kaden WaltersSince this is my first post on the blog, I think it is fitting that I should use this opportunity to briefly introduce myself and outline my personal connections to logging and the I.W.A. I am currently in my fourth year of the Bachelor of Arts Program at Vancouver Island University, of which I amContinue reading ““‘Logging Was to Be Their Future:’ My Family, The Logging Industry, and the I.W.A. Archive”, by Kaden Walters”
- “Part 2: Union Certification Challenged from Within” by John Mountain, Digging into History 2.12 (December 2020)Union Certification Challenged From Within Revisited – For this month’s deep dig, I’m again delving into that situation that happened sixty years ago when some IWA members – powerhouse workers – thought they would explore a relationship with another union – the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) In my November 2020 deep dig, IContinue reading ““Part 2: Union Certification Challenged from Within” by John Mountain, Digging into History 2.12 (December 2020)”
