[2] He participated in and led multiple strikes, and served as a delegate for the British Columbia Federation of Labour and as an organizer for the Socialist Party of Canada.

[3] In the years following his increased activism and involvement with labour unions, Goodwin fell under scrutiny for his opposition to military conscription during World War I.

[1] During the 1912–1914 Coal Miners' Strike against Canadian Collieries, Goodwin became a key activist, speaking out against working conditions and advocating for mine safety and union recognition.

[3] In 1916, Goodwin moved to Trail, British Columbia, where he worked in the smelter for the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited.

[4] Following his union involvement, Goodwin entered politics, running as a candidate for the Socialist Party of Canada in the 1916 provincial election representing Trail.

The following year, he was elected to the executive of the British Columbia Federation of Labour as Vice-President, and as the President of District 6 (Kootenays) of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers.

[3] Following the exemption, Goodwin called a strike on November 10, 1917, at the Trail smelter in an attempt to get the company to agree to an eight-hour work day.

[1] As the strike continued, Goodwin was recalled for another medical examination, whereupon he was ordered to report for duty for overseas, overturning the decision previously made.

[1] After returning to Vancouver Island, Goodwin and other draft evaders fled to the Cumberland hills sometime in April or May 1918, hiding out in the mountains around Comox Lake.

[3] On that day, Dominion Police Officer Dan Campbell encountered Goodwin in the woods at Comox Lake[1][4] and shot him with a .30-30-calibre lever-action hunting rifle.

[3] A grand jury in Victoria, British Columbia dismissed the charges against the policeman, who continued to claim that he had fired in self-defence.

[9] On July 27, 2018, the BC government proclaimed Ginger Goodwin Day to acknowledge his work as a champion of labour rights.