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Biographical history
Stephen John William Drake was born on June 19th, 1956 to Stephen Michael Drake and Kathleen Marie Drake née MacAskill. He was raised in the historic coal mining town of New Waterford. Steve is a fourth-generation coal miner. He worked underground, as an industrial electrician, from 1977 to 1994, for the Cape Breton Development Corporation (DEVCO).
In 1994, he was elected President of District 26, United Mine Workers of America and acclaimed to a second four-year term in 1998. He served the final troop of District 26 miners, in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as their chief negotiator, researcher and spokesperson during the most tumultuous times since the coal wars of the 1920s.
During his time in office, Drake appeared before numerous government and Senate Committees advocating for workers rights and community economic development. As well, between 1998 and 2000, Drake developed a unique legal case, against DEVCO and the Federal Government of Canada, that grounded three arbitration decisions favouring his union brothers and other Devco employees. The arbitration awards amounted to approximately $180 million in additional benefits for DEVCO employees.
During the dying days of the coal industry - and after his controversial ouster from the UMWA - Drake enrolled in law school at the age of 45. He graduated from the University of New Brunswick, in 2004, was called to the Bar, in Nova Scotia, in 2005 and secured employment, as a Crown Attorney, in 2006. As of 2021, he remains employed, as a Senior Crown Attorney, with the Public Prosecution Service of Nova Scotia.
After developing and promoting a union-style plan to force the Nova Scotia government to enter into negotiations for a full Collective Agreement with his fellow Crowns, Drake was elected as President of the Nova Scotia Crown Attorney's Association. The provincial government eventually conceded that Crown Attorney’s had a Constitutional right to bargain collectively and the first full Collective Agreement, in Association history, was signed in 2014. Steve Drake spray painted his copy in gold.
Following his father's premature death in 2012, Drake went up against the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia. After 2109 days and 10 legal decisions, the Health Authority and the Board conceded that Drake had proven a causal connection between Stephen Michael Drake’s diseased coal miners’ lungs and his death. The case was settled in 2018.
Steve Drake currently lives near New Waterford with his wife Barb and their yellow Labrador Retriever Rosey.
Custodial history
Steve Drake, President District 26, UMWA 1994-2002, donated the items from his personal collection to the Beaton Institute. Accruals expected.
Scope and content
Donation consists of: Proceedings of the Special Rank and File Convention of District No. 26, 1924 , Special Joint Convention of the Coal Operators and Mine Workers of NS 1919, Your UMWA Dues 1985, UMWA Third Annual Convention of District 26 1922, and United Mine Workers of Nova Scotia Minutes copy of Special Convention of UMWA Sydney 1919.
June 2 2018: Donation of 15 VHS tapes forwarded to the Beaton Institute by Mr. Drake. Tapes have been digitized and copies will be provided to donor.
September 2018- Digital files from first 15 VHS tapes transferred to Mr. Drake. Second accrual received August 13 2018. Tapes currently being digitized.
See FT-306 to FT-321 and FT 327 to FT 335