The Britannia Mine
(Paddy Graber)

1. "Oh, father dear, I often hear you speak of Britannia Mine,
The hard rock workers of BC, their comradeship so fine,
How Anaconda's profits came like water from a well:
Oh, why did they abandon it? The reason to me tell."

2. "My son, I worked the miner's trade with dignity and pride,
Until they forced us out on strike, with Mine-Mill on our side
They tried to break our union, a lesson to us teach,
And that's the cruel reason they closed down Britannia Beach.

3. Oh, well do I remember it, 'twas on the bargaining day,
We instructed our committee to ask for higher pay,
But Anaconda's lawyers an agreement would not reach,
And that's another reason they closed down Britannia Beach."

4. "Oh, father dear, the day will come when in answer to the call
All working men across this land will rally, one and all;
Our industry will be home-owned, our work conditions fine;
Anaconda'll never get a chance to close a BC mine."

by Paddy Graber, c. 1965, to the structure of "Skibbereen";
describes a strike in the mid-fifties at Britannia Copper Mine,
BC. Mine-Mill is the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers' Union.

JB
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