Working Class History
Working Class History#OtD 8 Jan 2003 two train drivers from Motherwell, Scotland, refused to drive a train full of ammunition for UK forces in the Gulf to the Glen Douglas NATO military base. It was a protest against the threat of invading Iraq. More on the anti-war movt: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10799/anti-war-train-drivers
Working Class History#OtD 6 Jan 1971 the Militant Mothers of Raymur, 25 mothers from the Raymur Place housing project in Vancouver, Canada, blockaded railway tracks to get a pedestrian overpass to protect the 400 children who crossed the tracks to and from school https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10618/militant-mothers-blockade
Working Class History#OtD 6 Jan 2014 workers at a Goodyear plant in Amiens, France, took two bosses hostage demanding better severance pay. They occupied the plant and kept bosses inside until the company agreed to triple redundancy pay. More info, plus commemorative shirt: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/clothing/products/t-shirt-of-the-month-bossnapping
Working Class History#OtD 6 Jan 1946 after World War II, 20,000 enlisted US service members marched in Manila demanding faster demobilisation (return home) in the Manila Mutiny. Protests continued until March. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10617/manila-mutiny
Working Class History#OtD 5 Jan 1948 the Semiramis Hotel in Jerusalem was blown up by the Haganah Zionist militia to push Palestinian Arabs to leave the neighbourhood. Around 26 were killed and 60 injured, mostly Arab Palestinians, like Lutfi and Eleanora Aboussouans https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/11417/semiramis-hotel-bombing
Working Class History#OtD 3 Jan 1894 Italian government declared a state of siege and sent 40,000 troops to Sicily to crush a powerful movement of agricultural workers & peasants who were fighting for better wages & land redistribution, killing dozens and jailing 1000 https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10182/state-of-siege-in-italy
Working Class History#OtD 2 Jan 1905 @iww@mastodon.social union was conceived in the US at the Conference of Industrial Unionists in Chicago. Formally constituted at a subsequent conference in June, the IWW was a new kind of revolutionary, multi-racial union to unite all workers. Learn more: https://workingclasshistory.com/2018/05/23/wch-e6-the-industrial-workers-of-the-world-in-the-us-1905-1918/
Working Class History#OtD 2 Jan 2020 a fake protest was held in Antofagasta, Chile, to lead injured street dog, El Vaquita, to a vet. He wouldn't let himself be taken, but as he joined marches, he joined the "protest", which led him to get treatment. Protest dog items here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/animals
Working Class History#OtD 1 Jan 1967 undercover police raided LGBT+ bar the Black Cat Tavern in Los Angeles after patrons dared to kiss to celebrate the new year, arresting 14 and charging 6 with lewd conduct, and leading to a protest outside on Feb 11 https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8071/police-raid-black-cat
Working Class History#OtD 28 Dec 1943 after the arrest of two partisans, Mario Fiorentini threw two kilos of TNT at SS guards outside a prison in Rome, killing eight. The Nazis opened fire but were unable to hit him as he quickly cycled away to safety. More in our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e77-80-italian-resistance/