Date
|
Name
|
Place
|
Country
|
|
1820
|
Radical War
|
Central Belt, Scotland
|
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
|
Influenced by Radical demands for reform, especially among Scottish weavers
|
1835
|
Philadelphia general strike of 1835
|
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
File:Flag of the United States (1822-1836).svg United States
|
Successful strike for a ten-hour work day and better wages
|
1842
|
General Strike of 1842
|
England and Wales
|
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
|
Chartist general strike against low wages originating from coal miners in Staffordshire before spreading to multiple industries in the Midlands as well as coal mines across the country.
|
1855
|
1855 Catalan general strike
|
Catalonia
|
File:Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg Spain
|
1862–1865
|
General strike of slaves
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the Confederate States of America (July 1861 – November 1861).svg Confederate States of America
|
Slaves in the Southern United States stopped work and attempted to cross the frontlines of the American Civil War into Union territory, in what W.E.B. Du Bois held to be a crucial turning point in the war.[48]
|
1877
|
Great Railroad Strike of 1877
|
West Virginia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri
|
File:Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg United States
|
Strike by rail workers in a number of different states for wage increases; ended after 52 days with a suppression by the National Guard and local militias
|
1886
|
Walloon jacquerie of 1886
|
Wallonia
|
File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
|
|
1892
|
New Orleans general strike of 1892
|
New Orleans, Louisiana
|
File:Flag of the United States (1891-1896).svg United States
|
Successful strike for a 10-hour day and overtime pay; notable for the participation of both white and black strikers
|
1893
|
Belgian general strike of 1893
|
Mons
|
File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
|
Strike by the Belgian Labour Party to pressure Prime Minister Auguste Beernaert's Catholic Party government to introduce universal male suffrage
|
1901
|
1901 Ybor City strikes[49]
|
Ybor City, Tampa, Florida
|
United States
|
1902
|
Geneva general strike of 1902
|
Geneva
|
File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
|
1904
|
1904 Italian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
Italy
|
1905
|
1905 Russian Revolution
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Russia.svg Russian Empire
|
General strike by workers in the industrial centres of the Russian Empire; suppressed by the Imperial Russian Army.
|
1907
|
Geneva general strike of 1907
|
Geneva
|
File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
|
|
1907
|
New Orleans General Levee Strike of 1907
|
New Orleans
|
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
|
|
1909
|
Tragic Week
|
Barcelona, Catalonia
|
File:Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg Spain
|
|
1909
|
Swedish General Strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
|
Unsuccessful general strike called by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation
|
1910
|
Philadelphia general strike of 1910
|
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
File:Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg United States
|
Amalgamated Transit Union strike of Philadelphia Transportation Company trolley workers which expanded into a citywide American Federation of Labor general strike, eventually leading to wage increases
|
1912
|
Brisbane general strike of 1912
|
Brisbane, Queensland
|
File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
|
Caused when Australian Tramway Employees Union members were dismissed for wearing union badges; ended with Queensland Police Service attacks on labor marchers in Market Square leading to a public outcry and the strengthening of the Australian labour movement
|
1912
|
Zürich general strike of 1912
|
Zürich
|
File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
|
|
1917
|
Australian general strike of 1917
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
|
|
1917
|
Spanish general strike of 1917
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg Spain
|
|
1917
|
1917–1919 Brazil strike movement
|
Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul
|
File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
|
Series of general strikes leading to an attempted anarchist uprising against the First Brazilian Republic.
|
1917
|
1917 Twin Cities streetcar strike
|
Minneapolis–Saint Paul
|
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
|
Sympathetic general strike held on December 13 in support of streetcar workers who had been engaged in a labor dispute for the past several weeks. Involved about 10,000 people.
|
1918
|
Irish General Strike against Conscription
|
Ireland
|
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
|
|
1918
|
Swiss general strike of 1918
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
|
|
1918
|
Vancouver general strike
|
Vancouver, British Columbia
|
File:Canadian Red Ensign (1868–1921).svg Canada
|
General strike caused by the arrest of Albert "Ginger" Goodwin, discontent over high living costs and low wages during World War I, and the October Revolution; ended with police attacks on union offices
|
1919
|
La Canadenca strike
|
Catalonia
|
File:Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg Spain
|
|
1919
|
Basel and Zürich general strike of 1919
|
Basel and Zürich
|
File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
|
|
1919
|
Seattle General Strike
|
Seattle, Washington
|
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
|
Industrial Workers of the World strike caused when the Emergency Fleet Corporation denied shipbuilders' demands for higher wages and intended to start a socialist revolution; contributed to the First Red Scare
|
1919
|
Winnipeg general strike
|
Winnipeg, Manitoba
|
File:Canadian Red Ensign (1868–1921).svg Canada
|
General strike ending with repression by the North-West Mounted Police but leading to the growth of the Canadian democratic socialist and labor movements.
|
1920
|
Berlin general strike
|
Berlin
|
File:Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg Germany
|
General strike encouraged by the government to resist an attempted overthrow of the Weimar Republic
|
1920
|
Ruhr uprising
|
Ruhr
|
File:Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg Germany
|
General strike in support of the Social Democratic government before expanding into a mass labor uprising to establish a "dictatorship of the proletariat"; suppressed by the Freikorps and the Reichswehr
|
1920
|
Romanian general strike of 1920
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Romania.svg Romania
|
|
1922
|
Italian general strike of 1922
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Italy
|
Unsuccessful general strike intended to prevent a seizure of power by Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party
|
1922
|
Guayaquil general strike
|
Guayaquil
|
Ecuador
|
1926
|
United Kingdom general strike of 1926
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
|
10-day general strike by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress to prevent wage reductions and worsened conditions for coal miners; ended without concessions or violence.
|
1926
|
Sierra Leone railway strike of 1926
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Sierra Leone (1916–1961).svg Sierra Leone
|
|
1932
|
Geneva general strike of 1932
|
Geneva
|
File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
|
|
1933
|
1933 Cuban general strike
|
Nationwide, initially in Havana
|
File:Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba
|
The strike would originally begin as a strike for bus drivers in Havana and would later grow to other sectors and spread throughout the country. The strike led to the resignation of President Gerardo Machado.[50]
|
1933
|
1933 Ecuadorian general strike[51]
|
Quito, Riobamba
|
File:Flag of Ecuador (1900–2009).svg Ecuador
|
|
1933
|
French general strike of 1933
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of France (1794–1958).svg France
|
|
1934
|
Portuguese general strike of 1934
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal
|
|
1934
|
West Coast waterfront strike of 1934
|
California, Oregon and Washington
|
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
|
83-day general strike in support of the International Longshoremen's Association during the Great Depression; the success of the strike contributed to the growth of industrial unionism under the Congress of Industrial Organizations.
|
1934
|
Minneapolis general strike of 1934
|
Minneapolis, Minnesota
|
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
|
|
1934
|
Auto-Lite strike
|
Toledo, Ohio
|
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
|
|
1936
|
French general strike of 1936
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of France (1794–1958).svg France
|
|
1936
|
Spanish Revolution of 1936
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Spain (1931–1939).svg Spain
|
|
1936
|
1936 Syrian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Syria (1930–1958, 1961–1963).svg Syria
|
1936
|
Palestinian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mandatory Palestine
|
General strike coordinated by the Arab Higher Committee against Jewish settlement in Palestine; eventually led to the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.
|
1938
|
French general strike of 1938
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of France (1794–1958).svg France
|
|
1941
|
February strike
|
Nationwide
|
Netherlands Netherlands
|
|
1942
|
Luxembourgish general strike of 1942
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg
|
Campaign of passive resistance against the Nazi occupation during World War II.
|
1945
|
Nigerian general strike of 1945
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Nigeria (1914–1952).svg Nigeria
|
|
1946
|
Royal Indian Navy mutiny
|
Nationwide
|
File:British Raj Red Ensign.svg India
|
|
1946
|
Oakland general strike of 1946
|
Oakland, California
|
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
|
Part of the 1945-46 strike wave in the United States during the U.S. demobilization after World War II and the abolition of National War Labor Board restrictions, which contributed to the passage of the Taft–Hartley Act restricting union activities and strike actions.
|
1950
|
Austrian general strikes of 1950
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Austria.svg Austria
|
|
1950
|
Belgian general strike of 1950
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
|
Originated over opposition to King Leopold III of Belgium being returned to throne after his refusal to leave Belgium with the government-in-exile during the Nazi occupation; ended with his agreement to abdicate and allow his son Baudouin to take the throne
|
1950
|
Nairobi general strike of 1950
|
Nairobi
|
File:Flag of Kenya (1921–1963).svg Kenya
|
|
1950
|
Positive Action campaign
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the Gold Coast (1877–1957).svg Gold Coast
|
|
1952
|
Casablanca Uprisings of 1952
|
Casablanca
|
File:Merchant flag of French Morocco.svg Morocco
|
|
1953
|
Ceylonese Hartal of 1953
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Ceylon (1875–1948).svg Ceylon
|
|
1953
|
Uprising of 1953
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Germany.svg East Germany
|
Originated as strike by East Berlin construction workers against Sovietization work quotas before expanding to a broad revolt against the Soviet-sponsored Socialist Unity Party's rule; repressed by the Soviet Army and the Kasernierte Volkspolizei
|
1954
|
General strike of 1954
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Honduras.svg Honduras
|
|
1956
|
Finnish general strike of 1956
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Finland.svg Finland
|
Successful Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions general strike for higher wages
|
1960–61
|
Belgian general strike of 1960–61
|
Wallonia
|
File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
|
General Labour Federation of Belgium general strike against Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens's austerity policies, especially the Unitary Law; contributed to the growth of the Walloon Movement
|
1966
|
1966 Burkina Faso general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso
|
|
1968
|
French general strike of May 1968
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of France.svg France
|
Student protests which escalated into a nationwide general strike which halted the French economy and continued with wildcat strikes after the Grenelle agreements granted higher wages, leading to fears of a revolution against Charles de Gaulle; ended with Gaullist counter-demonstrations and a vote of confidence from the National Assembly.
|
1971-72
|
Namibian contract workers general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia
|
A general strike by workers under the contract labor system of what was then known as South West Africa (now Namibia) under the control of apartheid South Africa. The goal was to end the contract labor system due to slave like conditions and promote Namibian independence. It led to SWANLA being abolished & replaced with a less punitive but still repressive contract labor system. It also fueled the war for independence.
|
1972
|
Québec general strike of 1972[52]
|
Québec
|
File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
|
|
1973
|
Uruguay general strike of 1973
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay
|
Unsuccessful general strike against the 1973 Uruguayan coup d'état, leading the civic-military dictatorship to ban trade unions.
|
1974
|
Ulster Workers' Council strike
|
Northern Ireland
|
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
|
Successful Ulster loyalist general strike against the Sunningdale Agreement between Great Britain and Ireland, which would have attempted to resolve the Northern Ireland conflict by establishing a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and revived Council of Ireland
|
1975
|
Icelandic women's strike of 1975
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland
|
|
1976
|
Canadian general strike of 1976[53][54]
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
|
|
1976
|
March 24 strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the People's Republic of the Congo.svg People's Republic of the Congo
|
|
1978
|
Iranian Revolution
|
Nationwide
|
File:State flag of Iran (1964–1980).svg Iran
|
|
1979
|
1979 New Zealand general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
|
The Federation of Labour holds a 24-hour general strike held to protest the Third National Government's intervention in the general drivers' award.[55][56]
|
1984
|
Uruguayan general strikes of 1984
|
Nationwide
|
Uruguay Uruguay
|
Successfully ended the Uruguayan dictatorships by forcing free elections to occur under the threat of continued rolling 24 hour general strikes if not allowed.[57]
|
1988
|
Spanish general strike of 1988
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain
|
Workers' Commissions and Unión General de Trabajadores strike against the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party's policies under Prime Minister Felipe González
|
1989
|
Velvet Revolution
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechoslovakia
|
1990
|
1990 Moroccan general strike[58]
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco
|
|
1992
|
April 1992 general strike in Nepal
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal
|
|
1995
|
French general strikes of 1995
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of France.svg France
|
|
1998
|
1998 Danish general strike[59]
|
Copenhagen
|
File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark
|
|
1998
|
1998 Puerto Rican general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States (File:Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Puerto Rico)
|
41-day general strike against the privatization of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company, accompanied by some violence and sabotage.
|
2000
|
Cochabamba Water War
|
Cochabamba
|
File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia
|
|
2002–2003
|
Venezuelan general strike of 2002–2003
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela
|
General strike against President Hugo Chávez including a large contingent of PDVSA workers.
|
2003
|
Bolivian gas conflict
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia
|
|
2006
|
Nepalese Revolution
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal
|
|
2007
|
2007 Guinea general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea
|
Successful general strike forcing President Lansana Conté to resign.
|
2007
|
2007 South African public servants' strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
|
|
2007
|
2007 Swazi general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Eswatini.svg Eswatini
|
|
2008
|
2008 Egyptian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt
|
General strike including large contingent of textile workers during the 2007–2008 world food price crisis
|
2009
|
2009 French Caribbean general strikes
|
Guadeloupe
|
File:Flag of France.svg France
|
|
2011
|
2011 Oakland general strike
|
Oakland, California
|
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
|
Part of the Occupy Oakland demonstrations
|
2012
|
2012 European general strike
|
Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Belgium
|
File:Flag of Europe.svg European Union
|
|
2016
|
Indian general strike of 2016
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of India.svg India
|
24-hour general strike against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic policies
|
2017
|
2017 Brazilian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
|
General strike against President Michel Temer's labor reform policies during the Brazilian economic crisis.
|
2017
|
2017 Catalan general strike
|
Catalonia
|
File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain
|
General strike in support of the Catalan independence movement, accompanied by police repression by the Spanish government.
|
2018
|
2018 Jordanian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Jordan.svg Jordan
|
Anti-austerity general strike
|
2018–2019
|
2018–2019 Iranian general strikes and protests
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Iran.svg Iran
|
|
2018–present
|
School strike for climate
|
Global
|
Various
|
International movement of students skipping classes to support renewable energy and climate change mitigation
|
2019
|
2019 Catalan general strike
|
Catalonia
|
File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain
|
|
2019
|
2019 Hong Kong general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong
|
|
2019
|
2019 Indian General Strike[60]
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of India.svg India
|
|
2019
|
Sudanese Revolution
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan
|
|
2020
|
2020–2021 Belarusian protests
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus
|
|
2020
|
2020 United States essential workers general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
|
General strike involving essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
|
2020
|
Strike for Black Lives
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
|
Mass walkout in support of the George Floyd protests
|
2020
|
2020 Indian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of India.svg India
|
Preceded the 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest
|
2021
|
2021 Greek general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece
|
24-hour general strike against a bill in the Hellenic Parliament that would give employers more power in regards to their employees.[61]
|
2021
|
2021 Myanmar strikes
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Myanmar.svg Myanmar
|
|
2021
|
Striketober
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
|
|
2022
|
2022 Iranian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Iran.svg Iran
|
3 day general strike in response to protestors killed by Iranian security forces.[62]
|
2022
|
2022 Kazakh unrest
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan
|
|
2024
|
2024 Nigerian general strike
|
Nationwide
|
File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria
|
General strike due to low minimum wage.[63]
|