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The ranks of the strikers in Lille, Rouen, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Halluin, and Lanoy, the leading industrial district in the north of France, were strengthened today by the addition of more than 100,000 workers who walked out today. This brings the number of workers out on strike for higher wages to well over 200,000. The great majority of the strikers who have already been out for two weeks consist of textile workers. The reinforcements comprise large numbers of steel, iron, and building trades workers. Originally starting as a protest against the fake insurance law, which made the workers pay the burden instead of the bosses, the strike is now becoming a general strike for an increase in wages for all workers. The walk-out today was voted by the members of the General Labor Confederation, despite the action of the yellow leaders Saturday in negotiating with the bosses for an end of the strike. The workers decisively rejected the attempted sell-out. The bosses in the Lille district, urging the chief of police of the district to smash the strike, in a letter pointed out that they would not raise wages as they want to consider their profits first. A general strike of all workers is the aim of the revolutionary working class organizations here who are taking an active part in the strike and were chiefly instrumental in bringing out the additional 100,000 workers to fight for higher wages. Higher wages, as a result of this militant strike, have already been granted by several industries.
Source:
"More Join Strike in France; Ask Higher Wages," Daily Worker (5 Aug 1930), 1.
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