The Strike

In 1978 in Huron Park, Ontario 80 women working at Fleck Manufacturing walked off of the job and embarked on what became one of the most over-policed strikes in Canadian history. The women worked producing wire harnesses for cars which were then used for manufacturing in the larger Ford plants nearby. They faced horrid working conditions including rats on the factory floor, broken toilets, and sexual harassment. Many women were also injured by poorly maintained equipment leading a local doctor to call the factory "the butcher shop."

These conditions, combined with terrible pay, led the women to unionize in 1977.  Negotiations for a first contract were hindered by management who refused to accept the inclusion of the Rand formula in the women's union agreement. The Rand formula is an automatic check-off clause that ensures that all those who receive support from the union contribute their union dues. The refusal of the Rand formula was a threat not only to the newly formed union at Fleck, but to union security across the province. 

After negotiations broke down in March of 1978, the women voted to strike until their demands for safer working conditions, better pay, and union security were met. The women spent five months on the picket line facing backlash from the community and massive police violence. The OPP spent millions of dollars policing the strike. They sent helicopters, posted officers with cameras on nearby rooftops, and, on several occasions, sent all of their female officers to the picket line.

Despite these challenges, the women persisted, forming a tight knit community of strikers. Their work garnered support from the United Auto Workers, the New Democratic Party (NDP), and feminist groups across the country. The Fleck Strike marked a turning point in the relationship between feminism and organized labour. The United Auto Workers pushed for greater protection for their female members and feminist groups sought increased allyship with working women. The Fleck strike was a key motivator for the amendment of Ontario labour law that ensured that the Rand formula could no longer be declined by employers. The strikers were also front and centre leading the 1979 International Women's Day parade in Toronto.