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Home>> People and Communities>> Geographical Communities>> Regional Profiles>> Drumheller Valley>> Rosedale |
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Rosedale | |||
Since only a small population occupied the Drumheller Valley in 1912, Moodie needed to import a workforce. His labour came predominantly from Europe, and drew a significant immigrant community into the Drumheller Valley. Instrumental in building Alberta prior to the First World War, many immigrants took jobs building the railway, breaking the land, and working the mines. The coal industry in particular, welcomed these labourers for their established work ethic and cheap labour.
Moodie perceived the growing tensions and refused to have his camp unionized. Instead, he hired the veterans returning from Europe, and for protection, a detachment of the Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP). The ensuing Drumheller Strike of 1919 was a vicious labour movement that saw the united strikers stand off against an alliance between government, rival union the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and mine operators. Although the labour dispute threatened the Rosedale Mine, the RNWMP prevented the threat of strikers wrecking Moodie's machinery and camp. The threat soon subsided when the OBU dissolved, and Moodie probably rehired his immigrant workers. Many Drumheller Valley operators, who had hired war veterans, terminated their employment after the strike, finding some to be lazy and incompetent.
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