12 mayo 1955 año - Hock Lee Bus Riots

Descripción:

Hock Lee Bus Company had workers belonging to Singapore Bus Workers' Union (SBWU) and Hock Lee Bus Employees' Union.

Workers from SBWU went on a strike due to unfair treatment: They were not allowed to take leave to attend union meetings and felt that the workers in the Hock Lee Bus Employees' Union were given better treatment.

In response to the strikes, the company dismissed 229 workers. These workers went on a hunger strike and sat in front of the bus depot, preventing buses from leaving.

Strikes continued on April 27, stones were hurled at the police who used batons to clear the crowd, and 10,000 Chinese-medium school students gathered to support the striking workers. David Marshall attempted to settle the dispute but failed and strikes grew.

On May 12, police attempted to disperse the crowd with water hoses, enraging them and leading to them fighting back.

The government eventually helped to negotiate an agreement between the unions and the company. Dismissed workers got their jobs back but the British were not impressed with Marshall's handling of the riots as he refused to call in British troops as he did not want to seem pro-British, making the LF government look weak as Marshall was reluctant to take stronger action.

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