Show Notes
On this day, 30 October 1919, residents of the Pennsylvania Working Home for Blind Men demanded higher wages for their work, threatening to strike the following week if they weren't granted. The visually impaired men made brooms, whisks, carpets and other goods, and their home had increased the rent with no increase in their wages. They formed a union and affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. The boss told the New York Times that the men "like the rest of the world, have got strike fever". More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10337/visually-impaired-strike-threat
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More from On This Day in Working Class History
On this day, 31 October 1978, 30,000 oil workers went on strike in Iran marking one of the early actions of the Iranian revolution. The oil workers, as well as the workers' and women's movements in general, would have a large role to play in the revolution until they were crushed by followers of the religious fundamentalist Ayatollah Khomeini. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10395/iranian-oil-workers-strike
On this day, 29 October 1831, widespread rioting began in Bristol in response to the defeat of the second Reform Bill, which would have expanded the right to vote. Over £300,000 worth of damage was done to the centre of Bristol and there were over 250 casualties in three days of rioting. The events in Bristol were part of nationwide unrest due to the defeat of the Reform Bill with riots also taking place in Nottingham, Derby and elsewhere. In 1832, the Great Reform Act was passed, which extended the vote to any man owning property worth £10 or more. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10131/bristol-riots
On this day, 28 October 1916, conscription to the army in Australia during World War I was narrowly defeated in a referendum by 51% to 49%. Labor prime minister Billy Hughes, a former union leader, had vigorously attempted to introduce conscription. He blamed the revolutionary union the Industrial Workers of the World for the defeat. The IWW had been extremely active in opposing conscription and the war. Hughes responded by banning the organisation and arresting and jailing many of its members and activists. A second referendum was held the following year, and defeated by an even bigger margin. Find out more in our podcast episode 19 about the Australian IWW here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e19-the-iww-in-australia/
On this day, 27 October 1948, a two-week wildcat strike of New York City brewery workers had grown to 3500 people. Two of the city's brewers then decided to abandon the Board of Trade's collective position and agree to the strikers' demands to drop a punitive scheduling system which gave drivers insufficient time to unload their vehicles. Meanwhile, 10 breweries went on the offensive, suing the United Brewery Workers union for up to $10 million each, despite the union ordering the strikers to return to work, and requesting injunctions against pickets. But the workers held out. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9957/nyc-brewery-strike-grows
On this day, 26 October 1983, the Northwood and Pinner hospital in England was occupied by its workers in protest at its proposed closure, led by matron Jean Carey. From the following day, they ran the hospital themselves collectively and eventually the workers won, and it stayed open for a further 25 years. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9867/northwood-and-pinner-occupation This is one of hundreds of stories featured in our book, Working Class History: Everyday Acts of Resistance & Rebellion, available with global shipping: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/working-class-history-everyday-acts-resistance-rebellion-book