The last several months have been hailed as a “summer of strikes” in Canada, although the reality may not match the hype. But even if this is an overstatement — at least as far as national-level work stoppages data indicate — there has been a noticeable surge in militancy across the country.

As evidence, look no further than the province of Manitoba. The homeland of one of Canadian labor’s most cherished historical events — the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 — saw relatively few work stoppages in recent bargaining rounds. But after years of government wage repression and a post-pandemic cost-of-living crisis, union members in Manitoba are walking off the job in droves. Workers at provincial Crown Corporations have voted down insulting offers, sustained weeks-long picket lines, and challenged an embattled Progressive Conservative (PC) government now facing reelection after years of tense relations with unions.

At the center of the province’s mini–strike wave is the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU). Representing roughly 32,000 members across the public sector, Crown Corporations, and private contractors, MGEU is second only to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Manitoba in size. Yet throughout the summer, MGEU has punched well above its weight, with over 3,100 of its members participating in strikes. Additionally, another 11,000 members in the civil service are currently voting on whether to strike, with the union recommending a “yes” vote.