The life of the Bell Island miner was illuminated by a stirring sense of solidarity, something of which is perhaps captured in this picture. But the solidarity of Bell Island workers had little to do with class feeling. Rather, like so much else on the Island, it was derived from the ancient ways of Newfoundland and could not readily be mobilized in support of new institutions. This is evident in the tortured history of local unionism. Unions remained ad hoc organizations on the Island for many years. Union after union rose and fell, each called into existence to deal with a specific grievance and each falling apart after the immediate crisis had passed. Finally, in 1941, David lgnatius Jackman, who lived for a time in the United States, organized a union that brought the principles of collective bargaining to his fellow workers. In 1944 this union affiliated with the Newfoundland Federation of Labour and in 1948 was chartered as local 4121 of the United Steelworkers of America. In 1951 another important unionization drive occurred when Steve Neary led the organization of a local of the Office Employee's International Union. Traditionalism also continued to influence the voting behaviour of Bell Islanders. Thus after Newfoundland became a Province of Canada in 1949 they showed themselves willing to elect labour leaders in local politics but not as labour candidates.
