Timeline of strikes in 1981

In 1981, a number of labour strikes, labour disputes, and other industrial actions occurred.

Background

A labor strike is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. It is usually a response to employee grievances, such as low pay or poor working conditions. Strikes can also occur to demonstrate solidarity with workers in other workplaces or pressure governments to change policies.

Timeline

Continuing strikes from 1980

• 1980-81 Bangalore public sector strike ^{[1] [2]}
• 1980-81 West Bank teachers strike, by Israeli-employed Palestinian teachers in the West Bank demanding pay raises to match their salaries with the salaries of teachers in Israel. ^[3]

January

• 1981 general strike in Bielsko-Biała

February

• 1981 Athens taxi strike ^[4]
• 1981 Irish hunger strike
• 1981 Qantas strike, by Qantas staff in Australia. ^{[5] [6]}
• 1981 Venice transport strike ^[7]

March

• Bydgoszcz events
• 1981 warning strike in Poland

April

• 1981 Bermuda general strike, the first general strike in Bermudan history. ^{[8] [9]}
• 1981 Danish printers' strike, 11-week strike in the printing industry in Denmark. ^[10]
• 1981 Dannon Yogurt strike, 5-week strike by Danone workers in New York, represented by the Milk Drivers and Dairy Employees. ^[11]
• 1981 Wagner College strike, 20-day strike by faculty at Wagner College. ^[12]
• 1981 Writers Guild of America strike

May

• 1981 Nigerian general strike ^[13]

June

• 1981 Birzeit University strike, strike by students at Birzeit University in the West Bank in protest against Israeli forces' harassment of students. ^[14]
• 1981 Canada Post strike, 42-day strike by Canada Post workers represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers demanding the right to paid maternity leave. ^{[15] [16]}
• 1981 Major League Baseball strike
• 1981 Schlitz strike

July

•  1981 British Columbian lumber strike, by forestry workers in British Columbia, Canada, represented by the International Woodworkers of America; the first province-wide forestry strike since 1959. ^[17]
• Cape Breton coal strike of 1981
• 1981 Ford Brazil strike ^[18]
• 1981 Georgia Power strike, by Georgia Power staff in the United States, represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. ^[19]
• 1981 Minnesota public sector strike, 22-day strike. ^[20]
• 1981 Polish hunger demonstrations

August

• 1981 Cape Cod Hospital strike, 17-day strike by nurses at Cape Cod Hospital. ^{[21] [22]}
• 1981 Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization strike
• 1981 Sierra Leone general strike, the first in the history of Sierra Leone. ^[23]
• 1981 Stelco strike, 125-day strike by Stelco steelworkers in Canada. ^[24]

September

• 1981 Hawaii tugboat strike ^[25]
• 1981 Philadelphia teachers' strike ^{[26] [27]}
• 1981 Swingline strike, month-long strike by Swingline workers in the United States. ^[28]

November

• 1981 El Al strike, 12-day strike by El Al staff in Israel. ^{[29] [30]}
• 1981 Bolivian tin miners' strike ^[31]
• 1981 British Leyland strike, month-long strike by British Leyland workers in the United Kingdom over proposals to reduce the amount of break times workers received. ^{[32] [33]}
• 1981 Massachusetts bus strike, 42-day strike by transit workers in Massachusetts, represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union. ^[34]

December

• December 1981 Gaza general strike, general strike in the Gaza Strip. ^{[35] [36]}
• 1981 Golan Heights Druze strike, by members of the Druze community in the Golan Heights protesting the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights. ^[37]
• Milwaukee police strike
• 1981 strike at the Piast Coal Mine in Bieruń

References

1. Subramanian, Dilip (1997). "Bangalore Public Sector Strike, 1980-81: A Critical Appraisal II: The Strike". Economic and Political Weekly. 32 (16): 843–853. JSTOR   4405312.
2. Saxena, Kiran (1985). "Indian wage-fixation: An anatomy of Bangalore based public sector strike, 1980–81" . Journal of Contemporary Asia. 15 (4): 442–454. doi:10.1080/00472338580000291.
3. "West Bank teachers return to work". UPI. 16 March 1981. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
4. "Taxi Drivers of Athens on Strike (Published 1981)". The New York Times . 12 February 1981.
5. "Qantas Ground Staff Strike". The New York Times. 24 February 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
6. Dennis, C. Gregory (7 April 1981). "Qantas flies, but Australian airline-union dispute lingers". CS Monitor. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
7. "Venice Stalled by Strike". The New York Times. 24 February 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
8. "1981: when Bermuda went to the precipice". The Royal Gazette . 5 May 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
9. "Around the World; New Contract Negotiated To End Strike in Bermuda". The New York Times. 7 May 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
10. "Danish Printers' Strike Ending". The New York Times. 13 June 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
11. "THE REGION; 5-Week Strike Ends At Dannon Yogurt". The New York Times. 4 May 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
12. "THE CITY; Faculty Strike Ends at Wagner College". The New York Times. 22 April 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
13. Otobo, Dafe (1981). "The Nigerian general strike of 1981" . Review of African Political Economy. 8 (22). doi: 10.1080/03056248108703477 .
14. "Students Strike at W. Bank University". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 17 June 1981.
15. Broens, Laurel (2023). "The 1981 CUPW Strike and the Fight for Parental Rights". Defining Moments Canada. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
16. Darrah, Dan (30 June 2021). "Raising the floor". Briarpatch. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
17. Malcolm, Andrew H. (14 July 1981). "LUMBER STRIKE IN CANADA". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
18. "Ford Brazil Strike Over". The New York Times. 14 July 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
19. "Utility Workers End Strike". The New York Times. 27 July 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
20. "STATE WORKERS IN MINNESOTA RETURN AFTER A 22-DAY STRIKE". The New York Times. 12 August 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
21. "Nurses' strike shuts down Cape Cod hospital - UPI Archives".
22. "History".
23. "Union Refuses to Halt Strike in Sierra Leone". The New York Times. 16 April 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
24. "Pact in Canadian Steel Strike". The New York Times. 30 November 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
25. "STRIKE BY HAWAII TUG CREWS SLASHES VITAL BARGE SERVICE". The New York Times. 6 September 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
26. Taylor, Lesley (27 October 1981). "The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers ended its 50-day strike..." UPI. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
27. Kilborn Jr., Robert (29 October 1981). "Philadelphia: no general strike, but teacher dispute not fully settled". CS Monitor. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
28. "Staple Plant Strike Settled". The New York Times. 8 October 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
29. "Strike Against El Al in Fifth Day". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 10 November 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
30. "12-day El Al Strike Ends". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 18 November 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
31. "Around the World; Tin Workers in Bolivia Gain Support in Strike". The New York Times. 22 November 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
32. "BL Ltd. Workers End Latest Strike". The New York Times. 8 December 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
33. "Union leaders rejected a compromise today to end a..." UPI. 2 November 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
34. "Around the Nation; Massachusetts Drivers End a 42-Day Strike". The New York Times. 27 December 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
35. "Unrest Spreading in Gaza, West Bank". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 10 December 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
36. "Around the World; Gaza City Begins Strike over Tax on Doctors (Published 1981)". The New York Times . 6 December 1981.
37. "Golan Druze Residents in a 3-day Strike to Protest Israel's Action". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 17 December 1981. Retrieved 6 October 2024.