On this day in working class history, the sixth of February. And on the sixth of February two thousand and six, six thousand workers at the Bridgestone Firestone Rubber Plantation in Harbell, Liberia, walked out on wildcat strike in protest at low pay, poor conditions, child labour, and union corruption. Four thousand other workers were casual tappers, who were required to tap six hundred and fifty trees per day in return for a
payment of three dollars and thirty eight cents. The pace of work was such that workers could only meet their quotas by using their own children to help them work. Workers also complained about the lack of democracy in their union, the Firestone Agricultural Workers' Union of Liberia and the union withholding union dues. One worker, Lawrence Tamba, aged fifty seven, told Iron News quote, we are living in the plantation beyond human imagination. Most of the housing units as taffas
live in, are dilapidated end quote. Three days later, on February ninth, it was reported that the strike had been suspended, but workers then occupied their union office and demanded a change in union leadership. The strike was eventually called off after two weeks, when President Ellen Johnson's SURLEIF intervened and mediated an agreement from Firestone to build better housing and
more schools and clinics for workers and their families. Firestone workers organizing would continue, and they would strike again the following year. The sources maps and all of our anniversaries. Each day, check out the on this Day section of our stories at at stories stopworkingclasshistory dot com, and if you value our work, support us at Patreon dot com slash working class history. Links In the show notes, the music by a Decado Are See you Tomorrow