Coombes: Remembering William Davis, miners and their families

NEW WATERFORD – NDP Labour spokesperson and MLA for Cape Breton Centre-Whitney Pier made the following statement ahead of Davis Day, June 11, 2022:

“Today, for the first time in two years, coal mining communities will come together in person to observe Davis Day and reflect on the struggle and sacrifice of miners and their families.

This year, the day takes on special significance with the recent 30-year anniversary of the Westray disaster. We remember the miners who lived, worked and died for a better future.

On June 11, 1925 here in New Waterford, miners and their families stood the gaff. In the midst of a large strike against the British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO), whose draconian measures had forced many families to the brink of starvation, William Davis was shot and killed by company police.

Nearly a century later, we honor the legacy of miners and mining communities who fought for many of the rights workers enjoy today.

The NSNDP stands in solidarity with all workers in the pursuit of better wages, improved health and safety standards, and the right to organize.”

Coombes and NDP Leader Gary Burrill will attend the Davis Day Memorial in Glace Bay on Saturday June 11.

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