1983

Bill Bennett's SoCreds were re-elected on May 5, 1983. On July 7, the government introduced 26 bills stripping labour rights, rent controls, scrapping the Employment Standards Branch and the Human Rights Commission. Operation Solidarity and the Solidarity Coalition sprang up and over the course of the summer and fall and almost shut the province down. Eleven of twelve CIEA locals voted to take strike action–only two had ever had strike votes before this–and on November 8-10, 80% of the college-institute system was shut down. Even non-members Emily Carr and Northern Lights participated.