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<v Speaker 1>On this dam working class history.

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<v Speaker 2>The thirteenth of January and on the thirteenth of January

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<v Speaker 2>nineteen forty eight miners in Cyprus employed by the US

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<v Speaker 2>owned Cypress Mining Company CMC walked out on strike against

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<v Speaker 2>inhuman and extremely dangerous conditions. The workers demanded pay increases,

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<v Speaker 2>overtime pay on Sundays, recognition of a Labour Dispute's committee,

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<v Speaker 2>repairs to workers homes, and the rehiring of fired workers.

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<v Speaker 2>Around four thy three hundred miners, asbestos workers and construction

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<v Speaker 2>workers both Greek and Turkish, walked out together with the

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<v Speaker 2>support of most of the local working class, but the

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<v Speaker 2>British colonial government, the Church, and the SEK Union Federation

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<v Speaker 2>were united against the strike. The government sent police against

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<v Speaker 2>the strikers, while the Church denounced quote communist anarchy end quote,

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<v Speaker 2>and the SEK attempted to recruit scab replacement workers, claiming

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<v Speaker 2>quote better twelve hours of blue than eight hours of

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<v Speaker 2>red end quote, meaning it's better to work twelve hours

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<v Speaker 2>a day in a right wing place than eight hours

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<v Speaker 2>a day in a left wing one. On the third

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<v Speaker 2>of March, police opened fire and striking miners injuring many

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<v Speaker 2>in protest at the shootings. A national strike took place

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<v Speaker 2>on the sixth of March, and workers took to the

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<v Speaker 2>streets with placards written in Greek and Turkish saying things

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<v Speaker 2>like bread not bullets and double your contribution to the strikers,

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<v Speaker 2>encouraging more donations of money and supplies to the workers. Eventually,

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<v Speaker 2>the workers were victorious, and they ended up winning more

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<v Speaker 2>collective agreements being established or strengthened, pay increases, reduced hours paid,

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<v Speaker 2>overtime paid holidays, safety improvements, better healthcare, and a new

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<v Speaker 2>system for adjusting pay in line with the cost of living.

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<v Speaker 1>The sources maps and all of our anniversaries each day.

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<v Speaker 1>Check out the on this Day section of our stories

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<v Speaker 1>at at stories Stopworkingclasshistory dot com, and if you value

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<v Speaker 1>our work, support us at patreon dot com slash working

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<v Speaker 1>class history. Links in the show notes the music by Decado.

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<v Speaker 1>See you tomorrow.