On This Day in Working Class History

On this day, 6 October 1995, 32,000 machinists went on strike at Boeing, one of the world's largest aircraft manufacturers. It lasted for 69 days and ended in most of their demands being met. 
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10666/machinists-at-boeing-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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 5 October 2001, workers at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, launched a sitdown strike for better pay. In particular, the workers were complaining about wages and additional allowances, which were considerably lower for health workers than they were for workers in the justice system.
The strike shut down almost all of the 1500-bed facility, with only a few beds remaining open in the Orthopaedics and burns departments. The strike was primarily by nurses, but also included support staff and doctors.
The government responded by relocating some strikers, deploying armed police, reportedly using tear gas, and the ruling United Democratic Front brought local residents to threaten and intimidate the workers.
The Medical Association of Malawi and the Nurses and Midwives Association both denounced the action and threatened to discipline members who took part.
The strike ended on October 19 after the government promised to grant some of the workers' demands, and reinstate the relocated workers. However, five days later, the government rescinded their promise and sacked 12 workers in retaliation for the action.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7965/malawi-hospital-workers-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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 4 October 1945, US President Harry S. Truman ordered the Navy to seize half of the US's oil refining capacity in order to break a three-week strike of the nation's oil workers. More info in this excellent book: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/books/products/strike-jeremy-brecher

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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 3 October 2019, a series of protests led by Indigenous peoples began in Ecuador in protest at an austerity package backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) known as Decree 883. The bill, aimed at reducing public spending, included pay cuts and increases in fuel costs of at least 30%. The movement began with a strike of transport workers on 3 October. After unions called off the stoppage, Indigenous peoples then took the lead in organising disruptive street protests. After a two-week period, protesters with improvised shields and wooden sticks blocked roads and seriously disrupted the economy, closing businesses and drastically reducing oil production. Eight Indigenous protesters were killed over the course of the events, over 1,000 people were injured and over 1,000 arrested before the government caved in and scrapped the bill. Indigenous activists vowed to continue to struggle for better treatment.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10251/ecuador-indigenous-protests
Learn more about Indigenous struggles in these books: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/books/indigenous

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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 2 October 1915, the mostly women workers at the weaving mill in Morozov, Russia walked out for a pay rise to compensate for the increasing cost of living. The strike spread to tens of thousands of other workers in nearby towns, who stayed out until 7 October when they received a 20% raise. 
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9226/morozov-mill-women-workers-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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On 1 October 2012 health workers in Estonia began a strike for better pay and conditions. In particular, they were demanding a 23% pay increase for caretakers, 17.5% for nurses, and 11% for doctors. They also demanded reduced workloads, and pay for interns.
At first, workers in Tallin and Tartu walked out from outpatient care centres, while doctors initiated a go-slow. On October 8 the strike expanded to include inpatient facilities, and affected cities like Parnu, Viljamdi, Narva, and Kuressaare.
On October 26 the strike ended when the government agreed to the workers' demands.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7715/estonia-health-workers-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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 30 September 1919, compositors and pressmen working at The Daily Sketch newspaper in London refused to print the paper until an editorial criticising an ongoing railway strike was deleted. That same day, another newspaper had its publication delayed by its workers demanding that a government advert appealing to the public to resist the strike be thrown out. However they were persuaded by union leaders to withdraw their demand. Newspaper packers and delivery drivers also tried to delay and sabotage their distribution. Two days later, bosses at the far-right Daily Mail tabloid threatened to close the publication down rather than give in to a complaint from their print workers about their coverage of the railway strike. 
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10347/london-print-workers-black-anti-strike-editorial

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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 29 September 1909, the revolutionary Industrial Workers of the World union began the first of what became known as the free speech fights, in Missoula, Montana. Members would publicly speak on the streets of the town in open defiance of a law banning public speaking. When one speaker was arrested another took their place, including well known organisers Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who was pregnant at the time, and Frank Little. As a result, the local jail was filled with no end to the stream of workers coming in to speak. By 8 October the council declared the IWW could speak wherever they liked and dropped all charges against members who had been arrested for speaking. This campaign would be the first of many similar free speech fights throughout the United States. Learn more about the IWW and the free speech fights in our podcast: 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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 28 September 1991, leading labour organiser Shankar Guha Niyogi was assassinated in his sleep at midnight in Bhilai, India. Niyogi, who had successfully led efforts to organize cement factory and contract coalminers, as well as establish health care and cultural programs for poor workers and peasants, had angered many local industrialists, whose profits had suffered as a result. He was murdered by a hired gunman, Paltan Mallah. In 1997, several capitalists were convicted of conspiracy to murder, along with Mallah himself. Although in 2005, in a judgement which caused widespread dismay in India, the industrialists’ convictions were all overturned by the Supreme Court.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10065/assassination-of-shankar-guha-niyogi

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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 27 September 1973, the United Farm Workers in California won their second strike in a jurisdictional dispute with the Teamsters union, when yet again the Teamsters were forced to concede the UFW's jurisdiction in organising farm workers. During the dispute one UFW striker was killed, three others shot and wounded, and others were attacked or firebombed. 
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9967/united-farm-workers-win-second-jurisdiction-strike-against-teamsters

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/today
• Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
• Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
• Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
• If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History