On This Day in Working Class History

Today, May 1, is International Workers' Day! It commemorates the sentencing to death of seven anarchist workers in Chicago who were wrongly convicted for throwing a bomb at police who attacked a strike demonstration in May 1886. 
80,000 workers in Chicago had walked out on May 1 demanding a maximum 8-hour working day, alongside over 200,000 other workers across the US. Employers and the government were determined to crush the movement, and four of the anarchists were executed, with the fifth cheating the hangman by killing himself. An eighth was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. The surviving three were later pardoned, and the fight for the 8-hour day continued. 
Before his execution, defendant August Spies told the court: "if you think that by hanging us you can stamp out the labour movement – the movement from which the downtrodden millions, the millions who toil and live in want and misery, the wage slaves, expect salvation – if this is your opinion, then hang us! Here you will tread upon a spark, but here, and there, and behind you, and in front of you, and everywhere, flames will blaze up. It is a subterranean fire. You cannot put it out."
Socialist and workers' organisations later chose May 1 to be celebrated as International Workers' Day, and today it is celebrated as a national holiday in many countries around the world, and an unofficial one in many others. 
Learn more about the history of May Day in this podcast episode featuring us make by Upstream, available for our supporters on Patreon. Join us and listen today at https://www.patreon.com/posts/e85-may-day-with-103374699

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On this day, 30 April 2022 food delivery couriers working for the Deliveroo app in Dubai went on strike, shutting down the app, and defying a ban on strikes in the United Arab Emirates.
The drivers were facing a pay cut from $2.79 per delivery down to $2.38. The UK-based firm, backed by tech giant Amazon, also intended to increase the length of the working day up to 14 hours per day.
The workers, all of whom were migrants from South Asia, remained on strike until May 2 when the company agreed to abandon both proposed changes.
The following week, riders for delivery service Talabat also walked out demanding a pay increase.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7946/dubai-deliveroo-strike

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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
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On this day, 29 April 1982, 300 mainly South Asian women machinists were on strike in protest at the sacking of two male union activists and over low wages at the Supreme Quilting clothing factory in Smethwick, West Midlands. After a prolonged dispute, during which they also picketed the plant of a sister company, Raindi Textiles, 24-hours a day, they went back to work after achieving promises of union recognition, although the two men remained sacked.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10071/supreme-quilting-strike

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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
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On this day, 28 April 1789, Fletcher Christian led the mutiny on the Royal Navy ship the Bounty against the bullying and oppressive Captain William Bligh. The crew seized control of the ship and set Bligh and 18 of his supporters adrift, who famously survived. Some of the mutineers were captured, but others eventually settled with some Polynesians they effectively enslaved in the previously unpopulated Pitcairn Islands, where their descendants live to this day. Later, the Polynesians would revolt against the mutineers.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9969/mutiny-on-the-bounty

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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
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On this day, 27 April 2007, police attacked striking Firestone rubber workers in Harbel, Liberia, injuring dozens and killing one.
Workers on the million-acre plantation had organised an Aggrieved Workers Committee the previous year to fight for better pay and conditions, and remove corrupt union officials whom they believed were mismanaging funds of the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (FAWUL). Eventually, the government ordered union elections to take place. Firestone management attempted to delay the election, and so in late April workers went on strike in protest.
Despite the repression, the workers kept up their struggle and union elections were eventually held in July, where the rank-and-file workers won all of the seats.
The workers went on strike again in December for union recognition.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7923/firestone-strikers-attacked

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