<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="1" > In October 1922, Mao Zedong launched and led the strike struggle of more than 64,000 mud workers in Changsha. </h1>
In July 1922, changsha mixed carpenters asked for an increase in wages, and A worker had 3 silver dollars and 4 cents per day, and B workers had 2 dimes and 6 cents per day. At this time, Mao Zedong and Yi Lirong were helping the mud workers organize trade unions. Mao Zedong mobilized tishu workers through Activists such as Ren Shude and established a grass-roots organization, the "Ten People's League.". Ren Shude was Mao Zedong's first friend of the mud workers. Ren is honest and has prestige in his peers. He often went to Chuanshan to learn du to do odd jobs, and Mao Zedong talked to him many times, inspiring him marxist thought. By the beginning of September, the "ten-member group" had grown to 108 with more than 1,000 members. On September 5, the inaugural meeting of the Clay Trade Union was held, and through the "Constitution of the Changsha Mud and Wood Trade Union" drafted by Mao Zedong, Ren Shude was elected as the director of the General Affairs Unit (i.e., the chairman of the committee) and Yi Lirong as the secretary. Mao Zedong drafted the "Constitution of changsha mud and wood trade union> a total of 18 articles, stipulating that the purpose of the association is to improve the lives of workers and support workers' rights. Its main tasks are: the operation of cram schools, consumer cooperatives, health insurance, unemployment benefits: the statute also stipulates the basic organization of trade unions.
In early October, Mao Zedong summoned Ren Shude and other heads of the mud and wood trade unions to a meeting in Qingshuitang to study the strike in detail, believing that the time was ripe and that a strike should be launched immediately. Mao Zedong proposed. While intensifying the launching of workers' strikes, attention should also be paid to contacts with the upper echelons of society. Contact with the Hunan Branch of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, trade union clubs, autonomous rebus and other groups to win their solidarity.
On October 6, the mud and wood union led a strike for all the mud workers, and issued a strike declaration and a fast mail telegram requesting assistance from all walks of life. After the strike of the mud workers, all construction work in Changsha City came to a halt. The union pickets, armed with the cloth flag of "insisting on strike", patrolled the city to maintain the order of the strike and informed the city's mud and wood unions that they were not allowed to work freely. At the same time, the trade union also contacted the mud workers in Changsha from other provinces to act together.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="21" > strikes by mud workers, supported by workers in Changxindian, Guangdong-Hankou Railway, Anyuan Road Mine and Changsha weaving, sewing, printing, pen and other industries. The Secretariat of the China Labor Union also wrote a letter of support. </h1>
On October 8, the Hunan Branch of the Labor Union Secretariat led by Mao Zedong sent a special letter to the Mud and Wood Trade Union, stating that "the Open Secretariat should also do its best to shield the kings, and hope that the princes will organize well, maintain order well, and persevere to the end, hoping to win the final victory." ”
The Changsha County Bureau refused to accept the workers' conditions, falsely claiming that the mud workers were used by a small number of undesirable elements to disturb social order and would be subject to legal detention. The workers were not afraid of the intimidation of the county office. On the 21st, the mud and wood trade union called more than 2,000 workers to a meeting at the education club and decided to petition the Changsha County Bureau on the 23rd. On the 22nd, the Changsha County Bureau issued a notice prohibiting petitions, otherwise it would be punished according to law. The notice also included the names of Ren Shude and others, saying that there were "thugs" among the workers. A small number of workers, fearing a recurrence of incidents similar to Huang Ai and Pang Renquan, consulted Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong clearly pointed out: The current subjective and objective situation is very different from when Huang and Pang led the workers of the Hunan First Spinning Factory to strike; on the one hand, the workers are organized and powerful, and the workers throughout the country are on strike, which is our backing, and all sectors of society sympathize with us; On the other hand, this time with Zhao Hengti's direct stakes are not too big, Zhao may not be as stubborn as the first spinning factory problem, without Zhao's eyes, county governor Zhou Yinggan does not dare to kill people, as long as everyone is determined to fight to the end. There is complete certainty of victory: of course, be prepared, just in case. Mao Zedong also said: "We all came when we petitioned, and there are special personnel in charge of the matter of external assistance, so you can rest assured that you and Zhou Ying will work to the end."
On the morning of the 23rd, more than 2,000 mud workers marched to the Changsha County Bureau, and Mao Zedong walked in the middle of the line. When the negotiators went in to negotiate with Zhou Yinggan and there was still no news until noon, Mao Zedong encouraged among the workers: Zhou Yinggan was again plotting, trying to isolate us from inside and outside, and when there was no news for a while, we would go in together to find Zhou Yinggan to reason. After speaking, he led the workers to shout slogans: "Insist on three corners and four points, and do not work if you do not reach the goal!" "If you don't reach your goal, you won't go out of the gate!" The petition lasted until midnight, and Zhao Hengti called and promised to convene a meeting of the delegation at 2 p.m. the next day, inviting workers' representatives to participate and discuss a solution.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="23" > Mao Zedong speaking on behalf of the workers</h1>
On the morning of the 24th, more than 2,000 mud workers gathered at the education meeting and decided to "petition the provincial office if the meeting of the public group still has no results on this day." At 2 p.m., Ren Shude and 12 other deputies were sent to the government affairs hall to sit at a meeting of the delegation, among which Mao Zedong, dressed as a worker, was among them. Mao Zedong used Zhao Hengti's provincial constitution to debate the right of mud workers to increase wages and business freedom with Wu Jinghong, the provincial government minister. Mao Zedong "spoke on behalf of the workers, spoke with a straight face, and made his sentences reasonable, making Wu Jinghong, the head of the government affairs department, dumbfounded and poor in reason." At 8 p.m., Wu Jinghong had to agree: "Submit a petition with two lines of mud and wood, requesting freedom of business, with the approval of the government." ”
October 25. Hunan's Ta Kung Pao published Mao Zedong's "Letter to the Governor of changsha mud and wood trade unions," calling for "freedom of business," "recognition of the triangle and four points," and "peace of mind with the whole life." In particular, the "submission" pointed out that the petition for freedom of business was based on "Article 17 of the Provincial Constitution chen complaint of suffering." The article mainly targets the Changsha County Bureau, stating: "Now the General Headquarters and the schools and residences of various organs have sent letters acknowledging the price of the triangle and the division of labor and requesting the start of construction. The governor of Changsha County, insisting on not making a decision, is actually a violation of the provincial constitution and hinders the work situation."
On October 25, the "submission" was approved, and the strike of the mud workers in Changsha was victorious. This victory gave impetus to the vigorous development of the workers' movement in the province, especially in handicrafts.