On This Day in Working Class History

1:56

16 September 1937: Kirkintilloch tragedy

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/16

On this day, 16 September 1937, ten young migrants from Achill Island, Ireland died in a shed fire in Kirkintilloch, Scotland. A group of 26 young migrant workers, many of whom were siblings, were part of the many migrants looking for temporary work during the height of the harvest season. The victims were from 13 to 23-years-old and slept in quarters arranged with the boys in a shed with inverted potato boxes covered in straw as bedding. Late in their first night there, the bodies of the young men

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1:11

15 September 1978: Inco strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/15

On this day, 15 September 1978, a strike of 11,600 workers in Sudbury, Canada, began after the mining company Inco Ltd. proposed layoffs and cuts to pay and benefits. Concessions won were a "thirty-and-out" policy (whereby workers with thirty years at the company could retire with a full pension, regardless of age) as well as most miners receiving a wage increase. Nearly 9 months in length, it was the longest strike in Canadian history at the time.Our work is only possible because of support from

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1:52

14 September 1889: Navassa miners' rebellion

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/14

On 14 September 1889 a rebellion of Black miners began on Navassa Island, a US territory in the Caribbean. 137 Black workers from the US had been hired to mine guano, then a crucial agricultural fertiliser, working under 11 white supervisors. The island was completely under the management of the Navassa Phosphate Company of Baltimore, Maryland.Eventually, dangerous, racist and abusive conditions resulted in a workers' revolt. One Henry Jones killed one of the white managers, and a riot erupted after

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2:06

13 September 1943: Belle Vue Harel strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/13

On this day, 13 September 1943, workers on the Belle Vue Harel sugar estate in Mauritius went on strike demanding a pay increase. After sugar strikes in 1937, the British colonial government set up a conciliation mechanism for industrial disputes. At conciliation, two representatives of the workers agreed to a proposal from the sugar planters to end the dispute, but they did this without consulting the workers they purported to represent. The strikers, who were unhappy with the proposed agreement,

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1:41

12 September 2012: Georgia prison protests

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/12

On this day, 12 September 2012 (content note: sexual violence), TV channels broadcast video showing systemic torture and sexual assault of inmates in the Gldani prison number eight in Tbilisi, Georgia, resulting in mass protests. Thousands of people took to the streets of Tbilisi that night, while friends and relatives of those imprisoned headed to the prison. Protests also erupted in other cities like Batumi, Gori, Katisi and Poti.The government quickly issued an apology, and the interior and

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1:32

11 September 2017: Kenya taxi strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/11

On this day, 11 September 2017, in Nairobi, Kenya, drivers for rideshare services Taxify, Little and Mondo-Ride joined Uber drivers on an indefinite strike demanding a cut in commission rates. Earlier in the year, Uber had been forced to increase fares by 20% after a series of protests and strikes by drivers, but the increases failed to make up for a 30% reduction the firm made to try to undercut regular taxis. Uber also increased its commission rate from 20% to 25%, and drivers demanded it be

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0:54

10 September 1979: McDonald's strikers win

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/10

On this day, 10 September 1979, McDonald's workers in Dublin, Ireland ended their six-month strike and returned to work after winning a 24% pay increase and forcing the company to agree to Labour Court recommendations.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8260/dublin-mcdonald's-strikers-win-concessionsOur 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

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2:04

9 September 1739: Stono rebellion

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/09

On this day, 9 September 1739, the Stono rebellion began in South Carolina, the largest uprising of enslaved people in the mainland British colonies. A literate enslaved man named Jemmy (or Cato) marched with 22 others, mostly from central Africa, brandishing a banner bedecked with the word "Liberty!" and attacked a store seizing weapons and ammunition. They planned to head to Florida, where Spanish colonial authorities offered escaped enslaved people freedom in an effort to undermine British rule

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1:33

8 September 1941: Norwegian milk strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/08

On this day, 8 September 1941 the Norwegian Melkestreiken (milk strike) took place against the occupying Nazi authorities. Workers arriving for work on Monday found that their already-reduced milk ration had been cut completely. Workers at a shipyard and a steelworks spontaneously walked out after breakfast, and over the next two days the stoppage spread to around 50 workplaces and 20-25,000 workers. The Nazis responded by declaring martial law, executing Workers' National Trade Union (AFL) chairman

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1:14

7 September 1977: Mohan Nagar clashes

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/07

On this day, 7 September 1977, violent clashes took place between workers and bosses’ thugs at a machine-tool factory in Mohan Nagar, India. Workers protested against unfair deductions to wages outside the plant but were attacked by armed security guards. Local workers and passers-by joined the demonstration and the guards opened fire, triggering violent response from the crowd who burned down the factory, killing the two shooters. Workers in neighbouring factories went on wildcat strike in

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1:02

6 September 2008: Boeing workers strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/06

On this day, 6 September 2008, 27,000 Boeing assembly workers went on strike over pay and outsourcing. The workers, based in Kansas, Oregon, and Washington stayed out for eight weeks, costing the company $100 million per day, until they won a 15% pay increase over 4 years, and more opportunities to challenge the company's use of outside contractors.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10674/boeing-assembly-workers-strikeOur work is only possible because

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1:04

5 September 2013: Saint Helena Airport strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/05

On 5 September 2013 it was reported that South African workers employed in the construction of the Saint Helena airport went on strike. Reportedly, workers were unhappy with prefabricated steel huts which were to be their accommodation. It is unclear how the dispute concluded, although the airport was constructed on time and completed in 2016.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7966/saint-helena-airport-strikeOur work is only possible because of support

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1:06

4 September 1936: Trocadero Grill strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/04

On this day, 4 September 1936, employees walked off the job at Trocadero Grill in Vancouver, demanding a wage increase. Bosses hired scabs to replace the striking workers, but customers supported the strike with a boycott. After one week, management agreed to the strikers' demands, but only four of the strikers were rehired. These four would subsequently organise the other new workers into the union.More information, sources and map:

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1:17

3 September 1940: Eduardo Hughes Galeano born

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/03

On this day, 3 September 1940, Uruguayan radical author and journalist Eduardo Hughes Galeano was born in Montevideo. He was imprisoned following the military coup in the country in 1973, and forced into exile in Argentina. His book Open Veins of Latin America was banned by governments in Uruguay as well as Chile and Argentina. After the US-backed military coup in Argentina, he was again forced to flee after being singled out for execution by the death squads. He returned to Montevideo after

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1:20

2 September 1963: Philippines Airlines strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/02

On this day, 2 September 1963 workers at Philippines Airlines walked out on strike. Within a few days, major international airlines were forced to boycott Manila airport to avoid disruption from pickets.The government of Diosdado Macapagal, which was supported by the left-wing Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (Communist Party) and Lapiang Manggagawa (Workers Party), ordered the workers to return to work.The strikers refused, and blocked roads to the airport, so on September 7 Macapagal sent police

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1:25

1 September 1974: Newark Labour Day riots

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/09/01

On this day, 1 September 1974, Puerto Rican attendees at a Labour Day event in Newark, New Jersey rioted against police after years of brutality, as well as poor living and economic standards. An argument between festival goers and police escalated when an officer's horse knocked over a game table. The police department mobilized virtually its entire 1,500‐member force as hostilities and tensions from the fighting spilled into the streets, which further increased tensions, resulting in rocks and

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1:37

31 August 1972: Shrewsbury Builders strike meeting

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/08/31

On this day, 31 August 1972, a meeting of striking building workers in the Chester and North Wales Action Committee was held at the Bull & Stirrup pub in Chester, North West England. During this meeting, it was decided to send six coaches of striking building workers to Shrewsbury the following week to picket construction sites which hadn't yet come out on strike. That day would prove fateful for a number of building worker activists (and the wider trade union movement) as, despite no violence

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1:27

30 August 1908: Birmingham coal strike ends

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/08/30

On this day, 30 August, 1908, union officials of the United Mine Workers called off a strike by Black and white coalminers in Birmingham, Alabama, four days after the Governor sent in the army to evict the strikers' tent colony and following a violent campaign of repression. Despite this, workers attempted to continue the stoppage but they were sadly defeated. Armed thugs terrorised the strikers, and lynched one Black miner, while the press generated hysteria about the race mixing workers. The

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0:58

29 August 2016: Curaçao oil workers strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/08/29

On this day, 29 August 2016, 600 oil refinery workers on the Caribbean island of Curaçao walked out demanding a pay increase. The strike continued for over two weeks, until a general strike broke out in its support. Faced with closed schools, shops, and no electricity, the employers caved in. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10083/cura%C3%A7ao-oil-refinery-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you

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1:12

28 August 1968: Chicago Black bus drivers strike

On This Day in Working Class History ·

2026/08/28

On this day, 28 August 1968 in Chicago, Black bus drivers in the city went on wildcat strike against their racist union, the Amalgamated Transit Workers. While 80% of drivers were Black, the union leadership was white, and did not heed the concerns of Black workers. White scab drivers kept services running in wealthier areas. In this article about the Democratic National Convention protests the same day is a short history of the strike: https://libcom.org/history/chicago-1968 More info as well in

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