Uruguayan General Strike (1984)

The Uruguayan General Strike of 1984 was a general strike in Uruguay in 1984 which brought an end to the dictatorship in the country and creation of a liberal democracy.

Background

Before 1973, Uruguay had been one of few countries in Latin America with a near perfect record of political stability and a strong democracy (others included Chile and Costa Rica). The military coup in 1973 came as a profound shock to Uruguay. To make matters worse, this once peaceful nation was now living under a regime that used fear, threat, and intimidation to keep control of its populace. Many people were arrested and jailed as political prisoners, people “disappeared” or were tortured, political parties were banned, parliament closed, trade unions repressed, wealth concentrated in the hand of an elite (alongside a severe economic crisis that hurt the working class), and the media censored.

In 1980, the government tried and failed to have a referendum to legitimise their regime. Then the government allowed several May Day rallies to be held (although some believed it was a ploy to strike fear around the left) which backfired. Soon, a general strike began to be organised over anger of the severe stagflation in the country (51% inflation and 15% unemployment) and a demand for wage increases, greater union rights, freedom of political prisoners and democracy.

Events

First Strike

The first strike was held on the 18th of January, 1984 and lasted a full day, paralysing the country, however, it did not see a crackdown.

Less than two months, another strike was organised, 90% of people did not attend work and many others who did began occupations of their workplace. The government responded with riot police to block the occupations and banned all media coverage. However, some magazines covered the story anyway (but were quickly shut down). The government ordered public transportation to resume, but only empty buses drove through the streets with signs in the windows reading, “obligatory emergency service.”

Third Strike

On the 27th of June, the 11th anniversary of the military coup, the opposition parties organized one final strike that shut down the country.

Results

The strike led to the fall of Uruguay's dictatorship and the subsequent freeing of all political prisoners, legalisation of trade unions and political parties, free press, increases in workers wages and the creation of one of the most progressive countries in the world.

References

http://libcom.org/history/1984-uruguay-general-strike