46
A miner drilling the face of salt1958
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
47
Viggio Olsen drilling a face in the Malagash Salt Mine in 1958.48
The insurance documents for Douglas Langille and John Drummond1945
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
49
These are insurance documents for two of the Malagash Salt Mine workers, Douglas Langille and John Drummond.50
A union cardSeptember 1937
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
51
This is a copy of a union card that belonged to miner Jack Ross and was dated for September 1937. The card was renewed on a monthly basis.52
The union agreement19 August 1959
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
53
A photo of the union agreement between the Malagash Salt Mine Company and Local 323 Malagash Salt Mine Workers Union that was effective on August 19th, 1959.54
THE UNION AT MALAGASH SALT MINEThe Salt Mine Workers Union at Malagash is one of the oldest Unions in Nova Scotia. It was formed in 1937.
In 1943 an Agreement was signed by James W. Allen, President and W. L. O' Boyle, Secretary-Treasurer, Theodore Fisher, Recording Secretary and James Chambers and by Louis McCormick of the Canadian Congress of Labour.
A contract effective August 17, 1946, was signed for The Company by J. L. Cavanagh and H. Smedley and signing for the Union was Charles Farrow, President...
Labour rate - 56c/hour Hoistman - 65c/hour
55
A group of miners descending the shaft1941
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
56
Miners descending down the shaft at the Malagash Salt Mine.57
An extract from an interview with Kenny Wilson1950's
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
58
Kenny Wilson speaks of working conditions in the Malagash Mine, and two of the accidents that occured. Kenny began work in 1950.What were conditions like in the mine?
In Malagash?
Yes.
Oh not that bad.
So you said you worked 8 hour shifts, any 12 hours shifts at all?
Occasionally if there was overtime, yes. At one time we worked 8 hours shifts, 6 days a week. But about 1951 the union negotiated, trying to get a five day week but we got a 5 and a half day a week and that didn't work too good. It only worked for one year. Because we only worked 4 hours on Saturday morning and 4 hours on Saturday afternoon, the afternoon shift. And we spent more time cleaning up than we did working. So they changed that system to a five day week.
Now were there any accidents at the mine at all?
Oh yes.
Do you remember any stories about those?
Yes. A Patriquin fella got killed at the shaft one time. He went?. He thought that the skip was coming up, apparently it had gone up past the opening at the underground, at the loading station, and he went to look down to see if the skip was coming and of course it came down and hit him. And another fella made a mistake, one of the bosses actually Anderson was his name. He had dynamite on his belt and they think he might have made the mistake of having dynamite caps to.
The caps, that's what you used to?.
That's what you used to light the dynamite. And he had an accident and blew himself up.
Were there any explosions down the mine or anything apart from the guy??
No. There wasn't any natural gas or anything down the mine.
59
A winter photo of the Malagash Salt Mine1944
Malagash, Nova Scotia, Canada
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