apr 4, 1912 - The Lena Goldfields strike

Description:

Mine workers strike
Causes of the strike :
- Workers had a series of long-term grievances which contributed to the strike
- The working day was either eleven or eleven and a half hours. Serving rotten horsemeat in the canteen was the trigger for the strike

Strikers demands included:
- 8 hour work day
- Sick pay
- a 30% wage increase
- Paid overtime
- Better quality food
- Respect from company officials
The owners of the Lenzoloto Company refused to meet workers' demands.

Massacre
- Leaders of the miners were politically moderate, refused to use violence and said they were willing to reach a compromise
- Mine's management asked the police and the army to break up the strike
- Initially, the police arrested the strike's leaders
- Miners responded with a protest march
- Army opened fire on unarmed miners
- around 172 died and a similar number was injured

Aftermath
- Outrage
- Russian press condemned the massacre - as well as politicians like Octobrists and Kadets
- No significant improvements of conditions in the Lena Goldfields.
- The Lenzoloto Company employed workers from China and Korea because they couldn't recruit enough Russian labour.

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