Copperbelt strike (1935)
Encyclopedia
The Copperbelt strike in May 1935 was a great strike action
which was performed by African mineworkers in the Copperbelt
(then in Northern Rhodesia
, today called Zambia
) to protest against unfair taxes imposed by the British
colonial authorities. The strike involved three of the four great copper
mines of the province, namely those of Mufulira
, Nkana
and Roan Antelope. Near the latter mine the strike ended in tragedy, where six protesters were killed by the police. After this the mineworkers decided to recall the strike, even if they had failed to obtain what they had protested for. Nevertheless, this action remains important as the first organized industrial agitation in Northern Rhodesia and is viewed by some as the first overt action against the colonial rule.
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
which was performed by African mineworkers in the Copperbelt
Copperbelt Province
Copperbelt Province in Zambia covers the mineral-rich Copperbelt, and farming and bush areas to the south. It was the backbone of the Northern Rhodesian economy during British colonial rule and fuelled the hopes of the immediate post-independence period, but its economic importance was severely...
(then in Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
, today called Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
) to protest against unfair taxes imposed by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial authorities. The strike involved three of the four great copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mines of the province, namely those of Mufulira
Mufulira
Mufulira is a town in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. It grew up in the 1930s around the site of the Mufulira Copper Mine on its north-western edge...
, Nkana
Nkana
Nkana is a section of the city of Kitwe, Copperbelt Province, Zambia which started off in the early part of the 20th century as a railway station to support the growing complex of copper mining operations. It was named after Chief Nkana, the local traditional ruler...
and Roan Antelope. Near the latter mine the strike ended in tragedy, where six protesters were killed by the police. After this the mineworkers decided to recall the strike, even if they had failed to obtain what they had protested for. Nevertheless, this action remains important as the first organized industrial agitation in Northern Rhodesia and is viewed by some as the first overt action against the colonial rule.