Other Archives | Solidarity: The Largest Political Protest in British Columbia’s History

Solidarity Alberta button

The Solidarity movement in 1983 in BC became an example for others across Canada, including this 1984 campaign in Alberta.

Buttons and pins from 1983

The anti-climactic end to the Solidarity movement of 1983 tends to overshadow what was one of the most significant moments in BC labour history, bringing together labour and […]

August 10th button

The emotional highlight of the summer of 1983 was the Solidarity protest on August 10 at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.

Solidarity Coalition buttons and pins

The Solidarity Coalition produced its own buttons and pins during the fightback campaign.

Tranquille button

The BC Government Employees’ Union fought the planned closure of the Tranquille Institution in Kamloops arguing there were no plans in place for the residents who lived with […]

BCGEU Flag in 2018

The BCGEU flag, fashioned from a bedsheet, which flew over Tranquille Institution in 1983 has been preserved in the archives of the Union.

BCGEU Flag at Tranquille

On July 19, 1983 members of the BC Government Employees’ Union began a three-week occupation of the Tranquille Institution in Kamloops after learning its closure was planned. They […]

Operation Solidarity flag

Printed fabric signs with the Operation Solidarity logo were used in rallies and demonstrations throughout the summer and fall of 1983.

Operation Solidarity stickers and signs

Businesses and offices were encouraged to display signs showing their support for Operation Solidarity. Bumper stickers and hard hat stickers were also produced.

Operation Solidarity buttons

Red and white Operation Solidarity buttons echoed the independent Polish union “Solidarnosc” which had been banned in 1982.

Operation Solidarity Enamel Pins

Enamel pins were produced for each of the main unions and the coalition involved in the 1983 protest. The pins were intended to show that support for Solidarity […]

Buttons Against the Budget

Buttons were a popular method of expressing opposition to the 1983 provincial budget and the restraint policies advocated by right wing think tanks and the Social Credit government.