“A Calculating Blow”: The 1937 Melbourne Stay-In Strike

On the evening of 11 August 1937, night shift workers at Melbourne’s two gasworks introduced an industrial tradition unknown to Victoria: an extended stay-in strike. It was to last another 15 days involving nearly 1,000 gasworkers, followed by a brief, second stay-in strike that ended on 2 September. In a community heavily dependent on the regular supply of gas, the strike caused widespread hardship. It was notable for the unwavering solidarity and self-management of the strikers; the refusal of the police to intervene, against the wishes of the company; and the conflict, once the strike ended, between the union and the industrial disputes committee. Despite its significance and novelty, the strike has escaped historians’ attention. This article, therefore, tells for the first time the story of that strike, examining its industrial, political, social and economic ramifications.