• Stories
  • Local Union Histories
  • Resources
  • Timeline
  • Activities
  • Map

TYRLC 150 years

Jousaye spent years contributing poetry to labour newspapers and in 1893 organized domestic servants into the Working Women's Protective Association

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Marie Jousaye

Working Women’s Protective Association 1864-1949

Marie Joussaye was born in Belleville, Ontario, leaving school at age eleven to work as a domestic servant. By the end of the 1880s, she was living in Toronto, working as a journalist. Jousaye spent years contributing poetry to labour newspapers and in 1893 organized domestic servants into the Working Women’s Protective Association, of which she was president. That same year, she also campaigned vigorously for Sunday street cars through a series of newspaper articles. By 1895, she published a book of poetry that included the moving poem, “Only a Working Girl.” Jousaye would eventually move to British Columbia and then the Yukon, where she spent the rest of her life.

More story posts about Profiles of Courage Solidarity
Prev post
Next post
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Proudly supported by

AMAPCEOpng
ATU, Local 113png
ufcw 175 633png
Carpenters & Allied Workers, Local 27png
CUPE, Local 416png
CUPE, Local 79png
CUPW, Torontopng
IATSE, Local 873png
IBEW, Local 353png
LiUNA! Local 183png
OECTA, York Regionpng
SEIU Healthcarepng
Toronto Firefighters, Local 3888png
UA, Local 46png
liuna local 506png
uswpng
toronto education workerspng
the societypng

Get updates when new content is added

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Resources
  • Upcoming events
  • Follow us on Youtube
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Facebook

A Toronto and York Region Labour Council website Contact us

Built by Campaign Gears

Initial logo design by Samantha Pollock