Description
Book SynopsisSmelter Wars examines a radical BC trade union's struggle to survive from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Trade Review"Smelter Wars tells a fascinating tale of rebellious trade union resistance and activism in wartime Trail. This book is a riveting account of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (Local 480’s) struggle against the powerful Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada." *
CUPE Communities *
"Smelter Wars was both a very informative book as well as a most enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in labour history, indeed, to anyone interested in BC history." -- Ken Novakowski *
BC Labour Heritage Centre Newsletter *
"As a former CUPE national communications director, Verzuh has synthesized an astonishing amount of detail, prompting one reader to say, ‘it’s not often a history like this is a page-turner, but this one definitely is.’" -- Sheri Regnier *
Trail Times *
"Highly detailed and requiring close concentration, Smelter Wars impresses with its depth of research." -- Robert D. Parmet, York College, The City University of New York *
New York Labor History Association *
"Smelter Wars is the story of the era. The book is wonderful." -- Holly Doan *
Blacklock’s Reporter *
Table of ContentsDedication Acknowledgments List of Acronyms Preface Introduction: A Smelter City is Born 1. A Red Union Comes to Town 2. Battling Blaylock’s Company Union 3. Women War Workers and Ladies Auxiliary Politics 4. Mine-Mill Courts Trail’s Immigrant Enclave 5. A Clash of Ideologies in the Kootenays 6. Steel Cold Warriors Raid Trail’s Red Union 7. Resisting Canadian McCarthyism in British Columbia Conclusion: The Complicated History of Local 480 Epilogue: The Smelter City Today Notes Sources
