Barcelona
1951: Barcelona general strike
A brief description of social conditions in post-Civil War Spain followed by an account of the Barcelona general strike of 1951. The events in Barcelona led to strikes across the country and signalled the potential for a return to working class combativity in Spain after over a decade of rule under the Franco regime.
The situation of the Spanish working class at the turn of 1950 was a desperate one. Franco's regime had ruled over the country for the last eleven years, and severe conditions fuelled by austerity measures imposed on workers after the end of the Civil War were becoming rapidly worse.
Sabate Llopart, Francisco, "El Quico", 1915-1960
A short biography of Sabate - the most famous and one of the most tenacious fighters in the armed resistance to Franco. Surviving longer than many other guerrillas, he finally succumbed to the bullets of the Civil Guard in 1960.
Francisco Sabaté Llopart (known as 'El Quico') was born 30 March 1915 in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat in Barcelona.
1931: Barcelona mass rent strike
The story of one of the biggest rent strikes of the 20th century where more than 100,000 people faced down the landlords and the government winning improvements for many tenants.
The strike laid the groundwork for much more workers' organisation in the community in subsequent years
1919: La Canadiense and Barcelona general strike
A short history of the Barcelona general strike of 1919 which began after the sacking of eight workers, and ended up as one of the most successful working class actions in history.
The strike forced the introduction of the world's first 8-hour working day law and large pay increases.
1909: The Barcelona revolt
A brief history of a successful general strike and rebellion in Barcelona.
The spontaneous revolution Spanish anarchists had long hoped for seemed to have started on Monday 26th July 1909 when Barcelona was shut down by a massive general strike. The revolt started after the government called up military reservists to fight in Morocco.
Spain: Supermarket strike in Barcelona to enter second month
This Saturday the 22nd of April will mark the end of the first month of an indefinite strike in Barcelona by workers at the Sant Sadurni d'Anoia logistics centre for the major Spanish Supermarket chain Mercadona.
The dispute began with the sacking of three members of the anarcho-syndicalist union the CNT working at the centre, the culmination of a campaign of threats by the company against workers unionising at the centre. Even before a strike was declared the company brought in scab workers, attempting to preempt the actions of their own employees.
Women's Subversive Individualism in Barcelona during the 1930s
WOMEN'S SUBVERSIVE INDIVIDUALISM IN BARCELONA DURING THE 1930s
MICHAEL SEIDMAN
International Review Of Social History XXXVII (1992)
Towards a History of Workers' Resistance to Work - Michael Seidman
"The implications of workers' resistance to work are far-reaching. The study of their reluctance to work shows that the claim by unions and political parties of the left to represent the working class is somewhat questionable. French and Spanish workers continued their traditional ways of resistance to labour in spite of calls by communists, socialists, anarchists or syndicalists for greater production.
The persistence of workers' resistance created tensions between members of the working class and the organizations which claimed to represent them. In both revolutionary and reformist situations, persuasion and propaganda which aimed to convince the workers to work harder was inadequate and had to be supplemented by force."
Workers Against Work: Labor in Paris and Barcelona During the Popular Fronts - Michael Seidman
Workers Against Work
Labor in Paris and Barcelona During the Popular Fronts
Michael Seidman
Class war in Barcelona - Jean Barrot, 1973
The following text is the translation of a pamphlet of the group Mouvement Communiste, written in 1973 by Jean Barrot (aka Gilles Dauve), as a means of solidarity for some Spanish revolutionaries arrested in Spain facing harsh penalties.
Undercurrent #8
