A significant segment of prairie workers were employees of either federal or provincial governments. While they were not necessarily paid well, they were envied by many of their class for having job security.
This mailman may have been posing with his day's work around him for effect, but there is no doubt that the amount he carried in a day and the number of kilometres he walked were considerable. The bitter prairie winter contributed to this Edmonton mail carrier's discomfort, and while the job security associated with working for the Postmaster General to some extent offset poor working conditions, postal workers' grievances accumulated. They found their first expression in the labour unrest of 1918 and 1919 which resulted in many postal workers being dismissed by the government for refusing an ultimatum to return to work during the Winnipeg General Strike.
Courtesy: Glenbow-Alberta Institute (NA 1328-2307)
