Blog – Page 3 – Working Class History

February 19, 2018February 17, 2018 Working Class History Blog

New ways to follow WCH

Thanks to the generous support of our patrons, we have been able to properly start Working Class History accounts on instagram, tumblr and Pinterest, so please give us a follow and share with your social networks. Continue reading “New ways to follow WCH” →

November 1, 2017January 9, 2018 Working Class History Blog

You can now support Working Class History on Patreon

We have loads of exciting projects in the pipeline, like a podcast, a WCH website with browsable timelines and maps of radical history, viral videos and even a phone app, but we need your support so please become a patron of us here on patreon!
patreon.com/workingclasshistory

July 30, 2014November 24, 2025 Working Class History Blog

Launch statement

Today, 30 July, the anniversary of the first recorded strike in North American history, we are launching a new working class history page on Facebook to celebrate our history: people’s history. Continue reading “Launch statement” →

16 October 1951: Spit and polish action - On This Day in Working Class History

On this day, 16 October 1951, firefighters in Britain took their first ever national industrial action with an unofficial "spit and polish" strike, in response to attacks on pay and conditions. The action consisted of responding to emergency calls and putting out fires but refusing all other routine duties like domestic chores and training. The background to the dispute was fire services reverting back to the control of local authorities after World War II, with councils claiming they could not afford the pay firefighters the same salaries they received during the war. However, historians like Victor Bailey believe that authorities wanted to undermine the organisation of fire service workers. In an effort to break the action, bosses began suspending, fining, demoting, disciplining and sacking firefighters, and sending in police to eject workers from fire stations but this failed to deter the workers. On 19 November, the Fire Brigades Union declared the "spit and polish" action official. While public support was already behind the firefighters, a fire in London in which three FBU members facing disciplinary action were killed turned opinion even more against management. The London County Council swiftly dropped its other disciplinaries and by Christmas local fire authorities caved in, many of them reinstating sacked or demoted firefighters and repaying fines paid.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8830/spit-and-polish-actionOur 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/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History