View source for Uba Strike (1937)

The '''Uba Strike of 1937''' was a [[List of Strikes|strike]] by sugar workers in [[Mauritius]] in [[Timeline of Anarchism in Southern Africa|1937]].

== Background ==
In the 1870s, large sugar estates sold off their less productive land to Indian Mauritians that formed a small class of landowners called Sirdars. The [[British Empire]] feared angering the Franco-Mauritian elite for fears the island might join the [[French Empire]] again, making it extremely difficult for pro-worker reforms to be passed. Many farmers planted the hardier but less productive Uba variety<nowiki> </nowiki>of sugarcane. Although Uba produced more cane by weight it also had a lower sucrose<nowiki> </nowiki>content than traditional varieties of sugarcane meaning that the mills would produce less refined sugar from it. Since the growers of sugarcane were paid by weight the sugar refineries experienced lower profits whilst the growers were paid more per harvest. In July 1937, at the beginning of that year's sugarcane harvest, the sugar refineries announced that they would only accept Uba cane for 15% less than regular sugarcane. This combined with the depressed state of the sugar market internationally put great economic strain on growers.

== Events ==
Following the announcement of the fifteen percent reduction in the Uba cane price workers on the Rich Fund estate asked the Sirdars or managers to intervene to raise the price. After getting no satisfaction the workers went on strike and caused a number of minor disturbances. Due to [[British Caribbean Strike Wave (1930s)|similar strikes]] in the Caribbean at the time the British government in Mauritius initially sought a conciliatory approach whilst the Labour Party held rallies calling for political and economic reform. By mid-August the strikes had spread to 
other sugar estates across the island. The government sought to negotiate with the sugar refineries to increase the price of Uba cane but a few estates refused.  One of the estates that refused to increase the price, the Union-Flacq estate owned by R.Gujadhur,<nowiki> </nowiki>became the target of arson attacks and property damage. This along with a suggestion by the police to deal with their own security lead to the stockpiling of weapons on the estate.

=== Massacre ===
On the 13th of August 1937 around two hundred small farmers and workers marched on the refinery at Union-Flacq. Armed staff at the refinery met the demonstrators who then attempted to storm the facility. Fearing for their personal safety the staff fired on the demonstrators. The encounter resulted in the deaths of six protesters and wounding four more. The protesters dispersed whilst setting fire to surrounding sugar cane fields. Word spread and protests lasted for an additional two weeks across the island.

== Results ==
In 1938, the following reforms were passed in Mauritius:
* Legalisation of [[Trade Union|trade unions]]
* Legalisation of [[Collective Bargaining|collective bargaining]]
* Creation of institutions to mediate between workers and bosses

== References ==
[[Wikipedia]] - [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uba_riots_of_1937 Uba riots of 1937]
[[Category:AnarWiki]]
[[Category:Mauritius]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Southern Africa]]
[[Category:1937]]
[[Category:1930s]]
[[Category:20th Century]]
[[Category:Strikes]]
[[Category:British Empire]]