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The Craft Transformed
An Essay on the Carpenters of Halifax, 1885-1985
by Ian McKay
An essay exploring the drastic changes a fluctuating economy brought to Halifax, particularly its carpenters.
How do skilled wokers adapt to preserve their hard-won advances in a period of radical social and economic change?
In 1885, Nova Scotia was booming: economic growth topped that of both Ontario and Quebec, and the public was on the verge of voting for independence from Canada in an upcoming election. In 1985, the province was in decline: unemployment held steady at unprecedented levels reached in the late 70s, and many of Nova Scotia's key industries were just a government order or two away from bankruptcy. Through it all, members of Local 83 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America fought to defend their economic and social position, adapting strategies appropriate to the century¿s varying challenges.
The Craft Transformed is the story of radical change in Canada¿s Atlantic region as seen by workers who felt it directly¿the carpenters of Halifax.
In 1885, Nova Scotia was booming: economic growth topped that of both Ontario and Quebec, and the public was on the verge of voting for independence from Canada in an upcoming election. In 1985, the province was in decline: unemployment held steady at unprecedented levels reached in the late 70s, and many of Nova Scotia's key industries were just a government order or two away from bankruptcy. Through it all, members of Local 83 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America fought to defend their economic and social position, adapting strategies appropriate to the century¿s varying challenges.
The Craft Transformed is the story of radical change in Canada¿s Atlantic region as seen by workers who felt it directly¿the carpenters of Halifax.