On this day, 10 January 1979, as the UK ‘Winter of Discontent’ neared its peak, the number of lorry drivers across Scotland and northern England on wildcat strike against the government’s pay restraint reached 50,000. Drivers picketed ports and warehouses to stop fleets of trucks moving goods. By the end of the strike, many bosses would have gone massively beyond the government’s 5% cap with some offering their drivers pay increases of as much as 22%.
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Regine Dandrige: Let’s talk about blood, Mr. Vincent, it’s very precious to me.
On this day, 10 January 2007, workers in Guinea began a general strike calling on president Lansana Conte to resign. One group of workers taking part in the strike were customs workers, who blocked the exportation of food. This resulted in thousands of tonnes of fish being denied export permission and so having to be sold in Guinea itself, resulting in lower prices for local consumers.
On January 22, strikers marched towards Parliament in the capital, Conakry, but was stopped by security forces at the 8 Novembre bridge, who then opened fire. At least 11 workers were killed and 100 injured.
After 18 days of the strike, and between 56 and 90-deaths, the strikers won significant concessions. These included substantial reductions in prices of fuel and rice, and the president agreeing to accept the position of a Prime Minister with executive powers.
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