HISTORY OF STRIKES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18266, 27 December 1924, Page 8

HISTORY OF STRIKES.

FIRST AT BUILDING OF GREAT

PYRAMID. The history of great !s tir, ' r sirikes and of the development trade.unionism furnishes interesting comparisons betwe.cn the condition# ef 1 our in the pa?!, and those which obtain in this 1201 h century '.says n writer mi the Sydney • l>ailv Telegraph"). Just ono hundred years ago —I 1 btws piohibiting trades nn.l labour univus were repealed in England, and this >'f iVr - io |' the first timt 1 in her history, England has had a Labour Cioverument shortlived though it was. B.C. ilT'o i about I '.—Pifty thousand labourers cinploved on the building ot the Great ryramid ( commonly '• all e 1 Cheops) complained ot the food fur nisheu them.' and refused to work. They were out to pieces by the troops, several thousands being; killed. the remainder went back to work. J5 C. col. —Over 30.000 labourers emploved bv the Chinese Emperor oti the embankment- of the Hwarg-ho River demanded higher wages, and ceased work. Seventeen hundred were beheaded. and the rest, resumed work.

'B.C. 20. —Workmen employed by King Herod to rebuild the temple and palace at Jerusalem struck on account of poor food and insufficient, pay. Herod ordered out his Parthian Cavalry, which surrounded and slaughtered all the strikers.

A.D. 64. —The masons employed hy Xero to rebuild Rome, after the destruction of that city by tire, struck for higher wages. They were surrounded in the streets by the Praetorian Guards, several hundreds being killed. The rest surrendered. Seventeen were crucified, and tlio remainder returned to work. A.]}. 72.—Many hundreds of Jews who refused to work at. building the triumphal arch of Titus were slaughtered by the city garrison of Rome.

A.D. 324. —In Constantinople masons employed by contractors to build a church struck for increased wages. The contractors appealed to Constantine, who ordered several of the strike leaders to be hanged before tho church.' The rest, went back to work. A.D.SO4.—A strike of workmen employed by Charlemagne on a palace at. Aix-la-Chapello was settled in the same way. The men demanded higher wages. Twenty-odd were hanged, and 80 were sent to the galleys in Spain. A.D. 1069.—William the Conqueror had trouble with workmen employed to build Hastings Castle. Several were beheaded; the rest were sent to France as slaves.

1215.—Magna Chart a recognised certain rights of labourers and mechanics. Farm labourers were not to be deprived of their furniture nor'their tools seized for debt. 1271. —Serious riots caused" by striking farm labourers at Norwich, England. Many houses were burned, including the fine cathedral. Many of the rioters were publicly hanged, their execution being witnessed by the King.

1381. —An insurrection of farm labourers and mechanics,. led by Wat Tyler, was suppressed with great cruelty and. wholesale slaughter.

1495. —Great strike in Constantinople. Twenty-six strikers were hanged, and the remainder drafted into the armv.

1539.—Insufficient pay caused a strike of workmen employed in pulling down a suppressed monastery. Settlement —hanging and imprisonment. 1563.—At the Palace of tho Escuria, Spain, iriasons struck for higher wages. Seven were sent to the galleys, the remainder exiled to America. • 1625.—-Central Chinese strike of teapickers. Seventy-odd were first tortured, then beheaded; 1664.—Labourers on the canal of Languedoc struck for better pay. ' Dozens were hanged , by order of the nobleman who overseered the job. 1 1705. —Peter the Great's shipbuilders and. sailmakers struck for shorter hours. Some were hanged,, more than 100 sent to Siberia, 950 drafted into ■the army. - 1775.—During the last 25 years of the 18th century many trades-unions were formed in England, France, and Germany. ' ■ 1799.—Laws were • passed in. England prohibiting trades-unions. ' 1809.—The Friendly Society, of Ironfounders of England, Wales, and Ireland was organised. 1812. —Nottingham (England)' great strike and riots. Many mills burned by strikers. 1824.—The laws prohibiting trades and labour unions were repealed. 1831.—Many strikes and great riot-

ing among Welsh ironworkers. Troops tired on tlu' strikers, killing many. —The Steel Yard Society—the l;rst Kuglish trade-union— was formed. IS33.—Friendly Society of Operative stonema>on s formed in England.

I Unsuccessful strike of calico printers in (Glasgow for better pay. 1 s»r>4.— -Great Loudon tailors' strike. Also a failure.

18' M and Iron Shipbuilders' Union of Great. .Britain formed.

ISM.-,, Potters struek in North of England. They got an increase in wages after a long struggle.

ISM.— London weavers' strike against Irish workmen. Terrible riots; many lives lost. IS-1-. Many strikes in Manchester. 1542.—1-Jnglish legislation for the registration of labour unions. 1844. First .English co-operative societv formcil.