Podcasts about working class history

On 23 June 2015 municipal workers on the French island of Saint Pierre went on strike demanding a pay increase to compensate for rising prices. The strike was initiated by Force Ouvrière, but supported by other unions, and lasted until June 25, when the local government agreed to pay increases averaging €150 per month to its workers from January 2016.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7876/saint-pierre-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 22 June 1945, tens of thousands of workers in Nigeria defied the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and walked out on a general strike in protest at the British colonial administration refusing to meet workers' demands for a minimum wage of 2 shillings and sixpence and a 50% increase in the cost of living allowance. The TUC wanted to delay any action, but after months of agitation involving mass meetings of up to 8,000 workers at a time, the workers were not prepared to wait any longer. Railway employees, dockers and civil service workers walked out while many workers at private firms refused to cross picket lines. At its peak, between 42,000 and 200,000 workers were out, and despite the deployment of British troops and sabotage by some nationalist groups like the Nigeria Youth Movement the stoppage lasted 45 days. The strike was largely successful, as the cost of living increase was awarded in 1946, backdated to the previous year.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9494/Nigeria-general-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On 21 June 2018, health workers in Mongolia announced that they would go on strike in a dispute over pay and conditions at state-run hospitals. The workers also began holding a sit-down protest outside the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Doctors, nurses and other workers at 207 health facilities around the country had indicated that they would join the strike.The strike was scheduled to begin on July 4, but it was postponed for an indefinite period after the Ministry agreed to 24 of 26 demands by workers, including a pay increase.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7850/mongolian-health-workers-protestOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 20 June 1967, boxing legend Muhammad Ali was convicted for refusing the draft for the Vietnam war in Houston, Texas. Ali had been a vocal opponent of the US war, saying “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs?” To try to quell the escalating resistance to the war, Ali was given the maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine. But their efforts were unsuccessful, and the anti-war movement continued to grow. Despite the Nation of Islam beginning to distance themselves from Ali, demonstrations supporting him took place around the world, from Egypt to Guyana to London to Ghana. Four years later his conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court. Ali had no regrets: "I wasn't trying to be a leader. I just wanted to be free. And I made a stand all people, not just Black people, should have thought about making, because it wasn't just Black people being drafted. The government had a system where the rich man's son went to college, and the poor man's son went to war. Then, after the rich man's son got out of college, he did other things to keep him out of the Army until he was too old to be drafted."Learn more about the movement against the Vietnam war in our podcast episodes 43-46: https://workingclasshistory.com/2020/09/23/e43-46-the-movement-against-the-vietnam-war-in-the-us/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 19 June 1937, after employers failed to agree to oil workers' pay demands, workers at one of Trinidad's oilfields went on strike. British colonial authorities attempted to arrest Uriah Butler, a former oil worker-turned preacher, who was helping to lead the dispute. However, he was defended by a crowd of workers, who killed two policemen – soaking one of them with paraffin and burning them. Butler (pictured) then went into hiding. The strike quickly spread across all oilfields, then to the rest of the economy. A state of emergency was declared and two British warships rushed to the island, arriving on 22 and 23 June, bringing marines and additional police from England and Ireland. Two local military units were also mobilised against the workers, and after numerous arrests and imprisonments the rebellion was quashed. Butler was captured in September and jailed for 2 years for sedition. Learn more in episodes 75-76 of our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e75-76-trinidad-general-strike/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On 18 June 2022 firefighters working at the Providenciales International Airport on the Turks and Caicos Islands went on strike in protest at an unequal implementation of a pay award. The action shut down the airport and caused cancellations in domestic and international flights. Workers were due to receive their first pay increase in seven years, of 15%. But the workers complained that the increase was not being paid equally to all workers. After a few days, the airport authority issued a statement promising to review workers' salaries with the aim at implementing a new, fair grading scale.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7806/turks-and-caicos-airport-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 17 June 1971, construction workers in New South Wales initiated a "green ban", refusing to build luxury houses over Kelly's Bush, the last open space in a suburb. Local women had been campaigning to save the park, and eventually they approached construction workers and their union, the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF). The workers agreed to boycott the work, in a move which became known as a "green ban". Despite a management threat to use scab replacement workers, the builders and residents won, and Kelly's Bush remains an open public reserve today. A wave of green bans subsequently began which stopped billions of dollars of harmful development over the next four years. Wildlife and historic buildings were protected, as well as working-class and Aboriginal housing, and bans also took place in defence of women's and LGBT+ rights.We tell the inspiring story of the green bans in our podcast episodes 47-48: https://workingclasshistory.com/2020/10/30/e47-48-green-bans/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 16 June 1983, workers at the Chilean state-run El Salvador copper mines launched an illegal strike in protest at General Pinochet's dictatorship jailing their union leader the previous day. More strikes were due to take place at other mines the following day, and other unions were deliberating on whether not to join the strikes. Government officials responded by sacking 550 workers at the mines, and stating they would fire any workers who took part in the strikes. Despite many right-wing figures claiming that the Western-backed regime was an economic success story, Chile was at this time in the midst of a severe recession with collapsing economic growth and official unemployment figures of 20%. Meanwhile, the government was imposing spending restrictions demanded by the International Monetary Fund and private banks.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 15 June 1970, one of the biggest strikes in Turkish history took place after the government introduced two laws which made it more difficult for workers to change unions, in order to keep workers in the moderate Türk-İş union federation rather than joining the more militant DİSK federation. Up to 150,000 workers in Istanbul walked out, joined by others in Ankara, Izmir, Izmit and elsewhere. Police and soldiers attacked the workers, killing at least four workers, including Abdurrahman Bozkurt, Yaşar Yıldırım, Mehmet Gıdak and Mustafa Baylan and injuring nearly 200. The government then enacted martial law for three months, and thousands of workers were sacked, but resistance continued and in 1972 the new laws were annulled.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8693/15-16-June-workers-resistanceOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 14 June 1994, striking workers on the French colony of Wallis and Futuna rioted during a general strike demanding pay increases, cheaper transportation and the implementation of French labour laws.The first strike by Force Ouvrière occurred in February during a visit by the French Minister of Overseas Territories. A second strike began in June by school teachers, which was then joined by Force Ouvrière on June 13.On the night of June 14, strikers trashed government buildings and threw petrol bombs into the Territorial Assembly.Following the riot, negotiations took place between workers' representatives and the government, and the strike ended. The strike achieved an increase in the minimum wage and the creation of government-run primary schools in every village.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7756/wallis-and-futuna-general-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 13 June 1992, around 20 mostly South Asian women workers at a metal finishing plant in Burnsall, Smethwick, walked out on strike. They were demanding union recognition, equal pay and basic health and safety. The employer retaliated by sacking all of them. There were several disagreements between the union, GMB, and the strikers about the form and nature of the strike action, with the strikers increasingly resisting the union's attempts to take control of the strike action. Though the women had had strong community support, the strike was eventually called off after a year by union officials, who decided it was unwinnable.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8492/burnsall-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 12 June 2011 a strike of public sector workers in Botswana ended after nine weeks when the government agreed to offer them a pay increase of 3%. Previously, on the advice of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the government had refused to offer any increase despite significant rises in the cost of living.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7735/botswana-strike-endsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 11 June 2016 a three-week strike by miners at Tasiast in Mauritania ended after the Kinross Gold Corporation agreed to restart negotiations on a new labour agreement within 10 days. The Canadian-owned company was attempting to reduce its production costs.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7731/tasiast-miners-strike-endsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 10 June 1973, a strike of gravediggers at three cemeteries in the New York metropolitan area was expanded to include 44 others. On June 21, the courts ordered strikers to return to work, which they ignored. The president of the striking Local 365 of the Cemetery Workers and Greens Attendants union was subsequently found guilty of contempt of court, jailed and fined. Eventually, after 27 days of strike action, the employers from Jewish, Roman Catholic and nonsectarian cemeteries, collectively agreed most of the workers' demands, including annual wage increases of $12 per week for the next three years, and an employer-funded pension scheme. During the dispute some bodies were buried by relatives and friends of the deceased, but a backlog of at least 1,400 unburied bodies remained.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8213/NY-gravediggers-strike-growsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 9 June 1963, Black civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer was arrested on trumped up charges and brutally beaten in jail. Hamer had become a voting rights activist, and was on her way home to Mississippi from a voter registration workshop in South Carolina when she was arrested with other activists. In detention, a Mississippi police officer ordered two other prisoners to beat Hamer with a blackjack. Hamer and her activist friends were beaten brutally, and although charges were dropped and she was released three days later it took her over a month to recover and she was left blind in one eye and with kidney damage which contributed to her premature death at the age of 59. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee sued the local police department for the attack, but the perpetrators were acquitted by an all-white jury.Previously in 1961, Hamer had been sterilised without her consent or knowledge by a white doctor, who was acting according to Mississippi authorities' plan to reduce the poor Black population of the state.Despite the violence she was subjected to, Hamer continued her civil rights activism until her death.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10916/fannie-lou-hamer-arrestedOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 8 June 1861, eight coalminers working in the Redbank mine in Queensland, Australia, went on strike demanding an extra shilling per ton in pay. The strikers' names were Thomas Jones, George Smith, Edward Davis, Hugh Carter, John Coleman, William Griffith, Abel Alford, and Thomas Stafford. While the strike was an important event in Australian labour history, some sources erroneously describe it as the first strike in Queensland, whereas in fact numerous groups of Chinese shepherds had gone strike in Queensland beforehand.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10816/redbank-miners-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 7 June 1948 Chinese indentured phosphate miners on Nauru protested when a ship came to take them back to China, but they demanded part of their pay.The workers charged that Chinese interpreters who controlled the community funds would not pay out their share of contributions. Police attempted to arrest one Chinese worker, after which the other miners barricaded themselves into their settlement. The Pacific Islands Monthly journal claimed that the workers "built barricades, armed themselves with spears, clubs and axes, and showered stones upon officials who approached them."The Administration, run by Australia on behalf of the United Nations, responded by declaring a state of emergency and bringing in riot police. Police attacked the settlement, killing two and injuring 16 Chinese miners. They also arrested 49 people, two of whom were bayoneted to death in custody.The killer of the workers in custody was charged with unlawful killing but later acquitted. In contrast, the surviving 47 Chinese workers were convicted of offences including extortion and rioting, and deported.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7982/Nauru-Chinese-workers-protestOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 6 June 1988, a general strike was declared in South Africa by Black unions and anti-apartheid groups. Up to three million took part in the stoppage, in protest at the two-year-old state of emergency and further proposed restrictions on the right to strike. The strikers held out against police, who opened fire on crowds in townships, until 8 June.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10638/anti-apartheid-general-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 5 June 2001, rioting broke out in the Harehills area of Leeds in response to a heavy-handed police search on an Asian man who had been wrongfully arrested over his car's 'suspicious' tax disc. Unrest broke out later that evening as a multiethnic crowd of around 200 Black, Asian and white people burning cars and attacking police, leaving two injured.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10542/harehills-riotsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 4 June 2003 after five weeks of strike action, workers in the Faroe Islands won a pay increase of 9% over the next two years, as well as other improvements.Around 12,000 workers organised in the Færøernes Arbejderforeninger walked out on strike in May – almost a third of the entire working population. Most of the strikers were dockworkers or workers in the fish processing industry.The refusal to unload ships caused supplies and fuel on the islands to run out, which forced the employers to concede to several demands, including a pay increase, an increase in piece rate payments to dockworkers, as well as new contractual arrangements forcing employers to purchase specialist equipment needed by workers for certain jobs. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7956/faroe-islands-strike-winsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 3 June 1977, police in India opened fire on a workers' demonstration, killing 12. Thousands of workers from the Bhilai Steel plant and mines had been demonstrating at the police station where strike leader Shankar Guha Niyogi was being held following his arrest the previous day. As the steel plant was a joint Soviet-Indian project, the Communist Party denounced Niyogi as a CIA agent. He was assassinated in 1991 by employers' hired guns. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10200/bhilai-steel-workers-massacreOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 2 June 1975, 100 sex workers occupied the church of Saint Nizier, Lyon, refusing to leave unless their convictions for soliciting were rescinded. They were evicted after a week, but a precedent-setting legal judgement cancelled the workers' imminent prison sentences shortly thereafter. Books and more about sex workers and their struggles available here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/sex-workersOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 1 June 1981, just over 700 production workers at the Schlitz Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, walked out on strike after contract negotiations broke down, when workers were offered far inferior settlements to Miller workers in the same town. Schlitz had been struggling financially since the late 1970s, partly due to a change to the recipe which was made to save money but was deeply unpopular. The workers kept up their walkout until the end of September until bosses retaliated by closing the plant, sacking all employees. The company was then sold.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8098/schlitz-workers-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 31 May 1989, CLR James, Trinidadian Marxist and author of The Black Jacobins, the definitive history of the Haitian Revolution, as well as other texts on class, colonialism and cricket, died aged 88 in Brixton, London. As a young man he joined the movement against British colonialism, and later moved to England and became cricket correspondent for the Manchester Guardian, forerunner to the Guardian newspaper.He lived in the US for a time, where alongside Raya Dunayevskaya and Grace Lee Boggs (pictured L-R), he formed the influential Johnson-Forest Tendency. Returning to Britain, he continued to write fiction and non-fiction, including a history of the Ghanaian revolution, until his death at home.We have some of his works available here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/c-l-r-jamesOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 30 May 1968 in Senegal at 6 PM, unions announced plans for an indefinite general strike to begin at midnight in protest at police brutality against a school and university student uprising. Despite police repression, workers held firm until 12 June when the government caved in and offered a 15% increase in wages.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10319/senegal-general-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 29 May 1941, animators for Disney in Los Angeles walked out on strike when 16 union cartoonists were fired for demanding union recognition, including Goofy creator Art Babbitt. Disney workers held a mass meeting the previous day where an assistant to Babbitt put forward a motion to strike, which was approved. On May 29, hundreds of men and women set up picket lines outside Disney studios and set up a protest camp in a field across the road. The majority of cartoonists, including non-union members, respected the strike. Warner Bros cartoonists also marched over to Disney at one point dressed as French revolutionaries from 1789. Union chefs from nearby restaurants also showed solidarity with the strike by cooking for pickets before and after work. One day rumours circulated that hired thugs were going to attack the strikers, so mechanics from Burbank airport armed themselves with wrenches and went to guard the strikers' camp.Walt Disney drove across the picket line every day, and on one occasion got out of his car to try to attack Babbitt. Eventually, after five weeks, the strike was settled by mediators who ruled in favour of the union on every issue, and the workers received pay increases of nearly 50% in many cases. Babbitt also won his job back following a lawsuit. Walt Disney was bitter about his defeat until he died (lol). More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10122/disney-animators'-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 28 May 1936, 32,000 workers occupied the Renault plant in Paris. 100,000 more workers soon occupied every major engineering factory around the city. Over the following month a strike wave swept the whole country from the factories to non-unionised shops, involving 2 million workers in 12,000 strikes and occupations. To stop the upheaval, employers and the government had to agree wage increases of 7-15%, a 40 hour working week, paid holidays and collective bargaining rights. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10039/french-popular-front-strike-waveOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 27 May 1935 in Canada, employers at Ballantyne Pier locked out members of the Vancouver and District Waterfront Workers' Association in an attempt to break workers' organisation on the docks. After breaking a previous union, employers had set up the VDWWA as a tame company union, but the attempt to pacify the workers was unsuccessful. Workers responded by going on strike for months, but by December they were defeated. However it did not take long for workers to organise themselves once again and form a new union. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9941/ballantyne-lockout-beginsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

For patrons only for 1 year: We trace how the notion of the “industrial revolution” – originally a foreign, Continental idea rooted in German dialectical history – entered into British political discourse and then into sacred national mythology, enshrined by the tourism industry and by Thatcherite politics. Then we examine the evolving debate over whether the alleged revolution was a good or a bad thing—or whether such an event happened at all, considering its narrow limitations in time, space, and scope. Finally, we weigh carefully the arguments that have been advanced in defense of the traditional myth, including the explosive growth of British cities, the wide divergence between Europe and the rest of the world, and the appearance of so-called “proto-industrialization” in the organization of labor before the rise of machines. Please sign up as a patron to hear the entire lecture, and all patron-only lectures: https://www.patreon.com/posts/myth-of-month-26-159215235 Alternatively, non-patrons can purchase the entire “Myths of the Month” playlist for one flat fee: https://www.patreon.com/collection/2031535?view=condensed Image: Museum of Sciene and Industry, Manchester, England, UK Suggested further reading: Books: Kenneth Pomeranz, “The Great Divergence”; D.C. Coleman, “Myth, History, and the Industrial Revolution”; Eric Hobsbawm, “Industry and Empire: An Economic History of Britain Since 1750” Articles: Fores, “The Myth of a British Industrial Revolution,” History, 1981; Cameron, “A New View of European Industrialization,” The Economic History Review, Feb. 1985; Quataert, “A New View of Industrialization,” International Labor and Working-Class History, Spring 1988; Razzell, “The Growth of Population in Eighteenth-Century England: A Critical Reappraisal,” Journal of Economic History, Dec. 1993; Davenport, “Mortality, migration and epidemiological change in English cities, 1600-1870,” International Journal of Paleopathology, June 2021

On this day, 26 May 1824, the first recorded factory strike in US history took place when 102 women and girls working at the Slater Mill in Pawtucket picketed their factory. Two days prior, the mill owners in the town had decided to increase working hours by one hour a day for everyone with no additional pay, and cut the pay of power-loom weavers by 25%. The weavers affected were all women and girls aged 15 to 30, whom were previously being paid "extravagant wages for young women," according to the employers. What the owners did not expect, something which had not happened before in the infant textile industry, or indeed any factory in the country: the women organised themselves and went on strike. They were joined by other workers and members of the local community, who blockaded the mills, protested and hurled rocks at the mansions of the owners. One prominent local politician, George F. Jenkes wrote in his journal during the dispute: “I have just returned from one of the moste gloomy assemblage of people I have ever witnessed, from the street from the Pawtucket Bank across the bridge to Josiah Mill's shop is literally filled with Men Women and Children — making a mob of very daring aspect, insulting the managers of cotton mills in every shape — pulling and hauling — screaming and shouting thro the streets.” On the final day of the week-long strike, one of the mills was set ablaze. The day after the fire, the mill owners moved to negotiate with the workers, and they reached a compromise. In the wake of the dispute, other groups of workers began organising themselves, and other strikes would break out across the New England textile industry in the coming years. Learn more about this dispute in our podcast episode 32: https://workingclasshistory.com/2019/08/12/e28-the-pawtucket-mill-strike/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 25 May 1901, 27 unions around Argentina gathered and together formed the the revolutionary anarchist union the Federacion Obrera Argentina (later renamed the FORA).It was committed to the methods of workers' organisation and direct action as principal weapons in the struggle against the state.In October, the FOA organised its first general strike, a 24-hour strike in solidarity with striking sugar refinery workers in Rosario, one of whom was killed by police.In 1902, the union organised a general strike of bakery workers to demand the release of two bakery union members who had been arrested by police. The police raided the FOA headquarters, and large numbers of union members were arrested and tortured, eventually breaking the strike. FOA stevedores walked out on strike shortly thereafter.In an attempt to halt a wave of strikes, the government passed the Anti-Alien Act, enabling them to quickly deport “undesirable” migrants - namely, anarchists and union activists. A state of siege was then declared, and most union offices and radical publications were shut down.In spite of the repression, the union continued to grow, and in 1904 it was renamed Federación Obrera Regional Argentina (FORA). The FORA organised multiple other general strikes, and survived repeated raids and attacks by police and right-wing mobs.In the 1920s, faced with mass unemployment, the union launched a campaign for a maximum six-hour working day.A wave of strikes broke out once more in 1929. But shortly thereafter, in 1930, a right wing coup by a general José Félix Uriburu took place. Uriburu's regime declared martial law, and initiated a wave of terror against the anarchist and working-class movements, including the systematic use of torture, and secret executions. This broke both the FORA and the anarchist movement more generally.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9770/fora-anarchist-union-foundedOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 24 May, 1919, thousands of coalminers in Alberta, Canada walked off the job in a dispute over pay, the cost of living, and conditions. They were organised in the One Big Union: a revolutionary union which planned to organise all workers together and take control of society. 13 mine companies in Drumheller refused to negotiate and hired returning war veterans, arming them with clubs and iron bars and giving them free alcohol to terrorise the workers and beat and torture organisers, while the police turned a blind eye. By August the strike was broken.Learn more about the One Big Union and the Industrial Workers of the World in Canada in episode 52 of our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e52-the-iww-in-canada/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On 23 May 2020, thousands of miners at the Tenke Fungurume mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo went on strike.The workers at the majority-Chinese owned firm were demanding the payment of a special allowance of $600 to each of 6000 workers who had been quarantined for two months during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite being quarantined, the workers had to continue to go to work.After a one-day strike, employers agreed to pay the allowance.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/12754/tenke-fungurume-miners-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 22 May 1992 the Royal Oak Mines company locked out members of the Canadian Association of Smelter and Allied Workers (CASAW) union at its Giant Mine in Yellowknife, Canada. CASAW members had been due to go on strike the following day after rejecting a contract which would tie their pay to fluctuations in the price of gold.Management swiftly escalated tensions by hiring scab replacement workers, which had not been done in a mining dispute in Canada in over 50 years. The company brought scabs in from across Canada, sometimes using helicopters to bring them across picket lines. The company also hired Pinkerton private detectives and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to intimidate strikers.Strikers fought back by throwing rocks at mine buildings, and on one occasion raiding the premises and breaking windows, for which Royal Oak sacked 38 strikers. As time dragged on, a handful of CASAW members began to cross picket lines and return to work themselves.On September 18, a bomb exploded in the mine next to a rail line, killing nine scabs. After a 13 month criminal investigation, it transpired that the bomb was planted by a striking CASAW member, Roger Warren, who confessed to the crime but stated his intention was to scare the scabs and embarrass the company.The Canada Labor Relations Board then ordered an end to the strike and lockout in November 1993, and CASAW members voted overwhelmingly to accept a contract very similar to the one they had previously rejected. 130 of the strikers then returned to work at the mine.Warren was later imprisoned, until being granted April in 2014. Two other strikers were imprisoned for other acts of sabotage at the mine for sentences of 2 1/2 and three years respectively.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7869/giant-mine-lockoutOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 21 May 1913, a bomb exploded at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, Scotland, set by suffragettes. The blast caused no casualties, although some blood was found at the scene, presumably from the perpetrator, but it did crack the masonry of the west tower, damage the floor and break some windows. The Dalkeith Advertiser reported the following day: 'The perpetrators left behind them a ladies' handbag of the kind used for shopping. It contained a few currant biscuits wrapped in paper, a couple of safety pins, and in the grounds were found two pieces of paper. On one of them was written in ink “How beggarly appears argument before defiant deed. Votes for women.”'More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9413/royal-observatory-bombedOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 20 May 1963, 1350 Black workers at the Havelock mine in what is now Eswatini walked out on strike. They were demanding a nearly quadrupling of their minimum pay, as well as the dismissal of several managers, and better housing, sanitation and food. All 150 white workers at the facility scabbed on the strike and kept working.The Swazi King sent a telegram to the workers condemning the strike, but they ignored him. 12 workers were arrested, but the strike continued and other workers also walked out in support of the miners, including workers at the Ubombo sugar estate and the Peak Timber mill.The King then met with strikers personally and ordered them back to work, but again they refused. Eventually, a battalion of British troops was brought in at 3 AM on June 7, who set up roadblocks and surrounded picket lines around the mine. They questioned over 1000 miners individually, after which all except 153 returned to work.British troops then helped local police round up all the remaining strikers who were charged with various crimes including being on strike illegally, and 91 workers convicted.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/12556/havelock-miners-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 19 May 1920, a shootout took place in the town of Matewan, West Virginia between striking miners and the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, who had arrived in town to evict miners' families from their mountain encampment, in what would become known as the infamous Battle of Matewan. What made the situation in Matewan so unique was that the sheriff, Sid Hatfield (pictured, left), supported the miners rather than the coal companies. So the detectives brought along a fake warrant for the arrest of Hatfield, which he refused to respect, and shooting broke out. Seven Baldwin-Felts detectives were killed, including two of the Felts brothers themselves, as were two miners – Bob Mullins, and Tot Tinsley, an unarmed bystander – as well as the mayor Cabell Testermen. Hatfield and 22 other people, mostly miners, were subsequently arrested and put on trial for murder in what was at that time the lengthy murder trial in West Virginia history. But they were all eventually acquitted by a pro-union jury.Having been unable to secure a conviction, Baldwin-Felts agents would later murder Hatfield alongside his deputy, Ed Chambers, on the steps of a nearby courthouse. None of the killers were convicted of any crime. More info in our podcast episodes 57-58 about the WV mine wars: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e57-west-virginia-mine-wars-1902-1922/We have also published a graphic novel about this conflict, and we have other books and merchandise commemorating available in our online store: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/west-virginia-mine-warsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 18 May 1980, workers and students in Gwangju, South Korea, rose up against their brutal US-backed dictator, Chun Doo-hwan. Peaceful protesters were fired upon, with many shot and others beaten and stabbed to death by paratroopers. This sparked an uprising across the city, as local residents raided local armouries and police stations, seized weapons and eventually succeeded in driving out government troops. Workers and locals then took control of the city, running it collectively for several days, until paratroopers invaded once more and bloodily suppressed the rebellion, killing hundreds. Though unsuccessful in meeting its immediate goals, the uprising contributed to the end of decades of dictatorship late in the 1980s.We spoke with participants in the rebellion for our podcast episodes 53-56: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e53-the-gwangju-uprising-1980/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 17 May 1968, the Catonsville Nine, a group of Catholic Activists, went to the draft board in Catonsville, Maryland to protest the US Occupation of Vietnam. Entering the Selective Service office, the nine took 378 draft files from cabinets, took them outside, and burned them in the parking lot with a batch of homemade napalm.Learn more about resistance to the Vietnam war in the US in episodes 43 to 46 of our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e43-46-the-movement-against-the-vietnam-war-in-the-us/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 16 May 1967, the All Circles Struggle Committee (ACSC) was established in Hong Kong in the wake of violent police repression of a strike of plastic flower factory workers. On May 6, British colonial police violently beat picketing workers and bystanders, causing mass outrage. Protests against and clashes with police began breaking out across the city. After the ACSC was set up to coordinate a movement against colonialism, 126 struggle committees had been formed within the next two days to share experiences and plan action. A week later, wildcat strikes began to break out, with widespread rioting. In June, a general strike was called, which eventually faltered although strikes in some industries continued until late July. As the strike collapsed, many protesters began resorting to bomb attacks – both real and fake – targeting British authorities to cause chaos and disrupt business as usual. The "Hong Kong riots," as they became known, lasted until December before they were called off after secret talks between British authorities and the Communist Party of China. The CPC were nominally opposed to British colonialism, but in reality the Chinese economy benefited from having access to international markets through British Hong Kong and so they eventually decided not to push for British withdrawal. While the protests ended, in their wake British authorities implemented numerous reforms which significantly improved the lives of working class Hong Kongers. These included UK-style social benefits for the unemployed, the disabled and the elderly, construction of new hospitals and homes, abolition of some sexist laws, and rampant police corruption was largely eradicated. Learn more in our podcast episodes 30-31 about the Hong Kong riots: https://workingclasshistory.com/2019/07/15/e26-27-the-hong-kong-riots-1967/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 15 May 1942, the body of 60-year-old waterfront worker and member of the revolutionary Industrial Workers of the World union, Matti Valentinpoika Huhta (better known as T-Bone Slim), was found floating in New York's Hudson River. Living for years as a transient worker travelling around the USA looking for work, Slim was also an accomplished author, poet and songwriter. A member of the IWW for over 20 years, he became the union's most prolific and widely-read columnist and was dubbed the "laureate of the logging camps" due to his popularity among other transient workers. The circumstances of his death remain unknown. More information in our podcast on his life and work, in episode 1 of our Working Class Literature podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/wcl-e01-t-bone-slim-the-laureate-of-the-logging-camps/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 14 May 2021, dock workers in Livorno, Italy, refused to load weapons and explosives destined for Israel during a wave of Israeli attacks on Gaza.Members of the rank and file Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) discovered where the shipment was headed, and then decided they would not touch it. They issued a statement declaring: "The port of Livorno will not be an accomplice in the massacre of the Palestinian people… weapons and explosives that will serve to kill the Palestinian population, already hit by a severe attack this very night, which caused hundreds of civilian victims, including many children".The shipment was then eventually loaded by dock workers who were not USB members.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8608/livorno-dockers-boycottOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 13 May 1935, workers loading bananas in Oracabessa, Jamaica, went on strike and rioted. They blocked roads to prevent strikebreakers from being brought in, and cut power lines. Armed police were sent by British colonial authorities from Kingston to suppress the stoppage. Strikes spread to other groups of dock workers on the island later that month.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8504/oracabessa-wharf-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 12 May 1978, dayshift toolroom workers at the Saab-Scania auto plant in Sao Bernardo, Brazil, decided to stop work, in spite of the military regime. The strike spread and within two weeks over 20 factories and 45,000 workers had downed tools for a pay increase. In the following weeks the stoppage spread to Osasco and São Paulo, before all the auto companies agreed to make pay increases of 11-13.5%.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8426/auto-workers-strike-in-brazilOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 11 May 1894, the Pullman railroad strike began in Chicago following the firing of three workers the previous day, called by Eugene Debs' American Railroad Union (ARU).A month after it began, 400 ARU delegates from around the country met, and in defiance of Debs and their leadership agreed to boycott all Pullman railroad cars across the country in support of the workers in Chicago. The boycott began on June 26, when switchmen in Chicago refused to switch Pullman cars, and were fired. Their colleagues then walked out in their support.The strike then spread down various railroads until soon all 26 roads out of Chicago were stopped, as were all of the transcontinental lines which carried Pullman cars. At its peak it was the biggest strike in US history to date, involving over 250,000 rail workers across 27 states and territories. That said, the union weakened its base of support by refusing to admit Black members, which enabled employers to hire some Black workers as strikebreakers. Despite this, some Black workers helped strikers blockade train tracks around Chicago.Then the US government intervened, granting an injunction against all strike activities across the country, and brought in federal troops. Thousands of US soldiers joined state militia and deputy marshals paid by the rail companies to attack the workers, shooting dozens. Still, the workers fought back, and workers around the country organised to call a general strike to force Pullman into arbitration. But these efforts were blocked by union leaders and eventually repression broke the strike.This book tells its story, and that of other mass strikes in the US: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/strike-jeremy-brecherOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 10 May 1941, the Strike of the 100,000 took place in Nazi-occupied Belgium, on the first anniversary of the German invasion. Beginning in a steelworks in East Belgium, tens of thousands walked out, forcing authorities to grant an 8% pay increase, before arresting hundreds of strikers and sending many to the concentration camps. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8227/strike-of-the-100,000-beginsOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 9 May 1935, port workers in Kingston, Jamaica refused to load a vessel, the MV Costa Rica. One of their complaints was that they were not being paid for their lunch hour and demanded a settlement. Leading worker organiser William Alexander Bustamante intervened and an agreement with employers was reached.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10933/kingston-port-workers-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 8 May 1978, education workers in Peru launched their first "great strike" against the military dictatorship of Francisco Morales-Bermúdez. Workers in the education union SUTEP organised struggle committees around the country to coordinate the dispute. Despite repression from the military, with support from mothers, fathers and students, the workers held out for 81 days. They returned to work after winning numerous concessions including a pay increase, 20,000 additional teachers, reinstatement of dismissed workers, bonuses for class preparation and marking, and the reopening of the Enrique Guzmán y Valle teacher training university.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10842/Great-education-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 7 May 1912, the first general strike for waiters and hotel workers in New York City began when 150 workers at the Belmont Hotel walked out on strike. Organised by the Industrial Workers of the World union, at its peak over 6,000 workers were out, demanding one day off per week, higher wages and no discrimination against union members. The employers tried to stoke racial hatred by hiring African-American strikebreakers, so the workers allied with the Coloured Waiters' Association and called on Black workers to join the strike. Various individual hotels agreed to some of the strikers' demands. Combined with police violence, media harassment, and an increasing number of scabs who included local college students, the strike ended by late June, and some key organisers were blacklisted. However hotel workers continued to strike in the coming years, and today hotel workers in New York City remain among the best paid in the world. This is our podcast episode about the IWW at that time: https://workingclasshistory.com/2018/05/23/wch-e6-the-industrial-workers-of-the-world-in-the-us-1905-1918/Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 6 May 1937, 400 Black women tobacco stemmers went on strike at the IN Vaughan Company in Richmond, Virginia amidst a wave of unrest in the industry. With assistance from the Southern Negro Youth Congress the women walked out fighting for better pay and conditions, and were joined on picket lines by white women textile workers. After 48 hours, they won better pay, a maximum 8-hour day, 5 day week and union recognition.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10649/in-vaughan-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History