Sewing Seeds

A history of the textile unions in Canada

It was known as the rag trade: a vibrant 'patchwork' of textile shops in downtown Montreal and Toronto in the 1930s. But as the Depression wore on, clothing manufacturers began to exploit workers in what were already deplorable conditions. Female immigrants sweated in dimly lit factories, working up to 70 hours a week. A large group of textile workers decided to speak out. Their courage helped improve conditions in post-Second World War garment shops, until the introduction of Free Trade and a recession decades later.