Alex Aspden

1987: The Great Workers' Struggle

Alex... — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:23:39 +0000

The workplace struggles that took place in 1987 occurred within the wider background of political reform. For thirty years South Korea had been ruled by a military dictatorship, and growing calls for democracy had echoed across the peninsula through the 1970s and early 80s.

Aspden, Alex

Ed — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:32:44 +0000

1962-1973: Worker and student struggles in Italy

Alex... — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:34:32 +0000

Rising from a period of centre-left coalition that had been marked by a constant failure to bring promised reforms to Italian society, the struggles of the 1960s acted as a pressure gauge for many sections of the Italian working class, one which was to reach its climax during the mass strikes of 1968-1970.

1998: Danish private sector strike

Alex... — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:22:08 +0000

April of 1998 saw a series of talks between private sector unions and employers in Denmark. Initiated by the unions in response to a general economic upturn in the country, the talks represented for many Danish workers the chance for improvements to their working conditions.

1970: US national postal strike

Alex... — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:12:01 +0000

Beginning on the morning of March 18, the strike had been precipitated by months of stalling by union leaders and government officials. With no rights to collective bargaining, and having not seen wages increase between 1967 and 1969, anger amongst postal workers had been simmering for years.

1911: Liverpool general transport strike

Alex... — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:33:16 +0000

The strike movement of Liverpool occurred during the great period of industrial unrest that was to grip Britain between 1910 and the outbreak of the First World War. Beginning with a walk-out of seamen, the strike soon snowballed and went on to reach epic proportions, involving up to 70,000 people.

1934: The Asturias Revolt

Alex... — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:50:25 +0000

The 1933 elections in Spain had seen a massive victory delivered to the right, represented by the Confederación Española de Derechas Autónomas (CEDA), a coalition of largely Catholic conservative groups and Monarchists. Led by José María Gil-Robles, the CEDA soon allied itself with the close runner up of the elections, the Radical Republican Party, led by Alejandro Lerroux.

1935: Battle of Ballantyne Pier

Alex... — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 22:01:51 +0000

The story of the Battle of Ballantyne Pier can be traced back to 1912 when the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), began organising amongst waterfront workers in Canada, and alongside the Lumber Handlers’ Union in Vancouver.

1912: The Lena Massacre

Alex... — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 11:33:13 +0000

Situated in the dense forest of south-east Siberia, the massive goldfields that lined the river Lena were, at the turn of the century, amongst the most profitable enterprises in the Russian Empire. The Lena Gold Mining Joint Stock Company (Lenzoloto), the principal owner of the majority of goldfields in the region, was running at profits of 7,000,000 roubles a year.

1900: The assassination of King Umberto I of Italy

Steven. — Wed, 09 May 2007 15:08:06 +0000

See also our biography of Gaetano Bresci