occupations

The wonderful world of bossnapping

Caterpillar executive bossnapping, France 2009

A short introduction to and history of bossnapping - workers detaining their bosses in order to win demands - written by Evan Johnston.

Wichita students sit-in for US civil rights, 1958

Dockum Drug Store sit-in

A short history of the first successful sit-in protest of the civil rights movement in the Dockum Drug Store in Kansas.

St Mary's Hospital (Harrow Road) work-in and occupation 1981

St Mary's Hospital occupation

Contemporary information about workers at a London hospital taking over their workplace in protest at bed cuts and closure.

The Chinese democratic uprising, 1989

Chinese workers on motorbikes demonstrate

A detailed account of the national uprising for democracy which swept China in 1989 and was crushed after the Tiananmen Square massacre, written by George Katsiaficas.

A return to repression in Durban: activist shot in the back

After the conviction and sentencing of two ANC councillors for the murder of an Abahlali baseMjondolo activist in May 2016 there was a marked decline in the repression faced by Abahlali baseMjondolo. But the recent shooting of an activist in the Bhambayi land occupation seems to mark a return to repression.

Occupational hazards

The South London Women's Hospital occupation

A compilation of writings put together by Past Tense on hospital occupations and work-ins in the UK from the 1970s to the 1990s.

The Occupation of Alcatraz

A history of the occupation of Alcatraz island by the Group Indians of All Tribes (IAT) a coalition of native American activists and documentation published to explain the occupation.

The Republic of Labin, 1921

Hammer and sickle from the Republic of Labin

A short history of a short-lived uprising of coal miners in Croatia following an attack by Italian fascists, by Steven Johns.

1996-7: Philadelphians campaign against welfare cuts

In 1996 state and federal welfare reforms threatened to leave hundreds of thousands of poor and unemployed under threat. A coalition of Philadelphian activists and homeless attempted to fight both state and federal welfare reform programs.

1975-83: Maori New Zealanders Occupy Golf Course in Struggle for Tribal Lands

In the 70's Maori groups began a series of occupations to reclaim their tribal lands. The occupation of the Raglan golf course, a former burial site was an eight year struggle with the New Zealand government.