On This Day in Working Class History

14 June 1994: Wallis and Futuna general strike

June 14, 2026·1 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

On this day, 14 June 1994, striking workers on the French colony of Wallis and Futuna rioted during a general strike demanding pay increases, cheaper transportation and the implementation of French labour laws.The first strike by Force Ouvrière occurred in February during a visit by the French Minister of Overseas Territories. A second strike began in June by school teachers, which was then joined by Force Ouvrière on June 13.On the night of June 14, strikers trashed government buildings and threw petrol bombs into the Territorial Assembly.Following the riot, negotiations took place between workers' representatives and the government, and the strike ended. The strike achieved an increase in the minimum wage and the creation of government-run primary schools in every village.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7756/wallis-and-futuna-general-strikeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

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