User Story

By Nick Puhjera

As a North Edmonton resident, my fondest memories of my city emerged from events that occurred on 66 Street at the Gainers meatpacking plant.

In 1986, staff at the facility went on strike. It was the closest my family and I — and other families on 119 Street — came to fame. My Yugoslavian father chose to strike along with hundreds of other workers. After months of picket line violence, the ordeal worked out in the end.

I still remember the presents given to us four brothers by the union local. It was a hard time, but this story shows the best of Edmonton—how this city values labour (in the union sense) and ordinary citizens.