lang: en
Summary
In 1936, Torres Strait Islander maritime workers in Queensland, Australia, went on strike against the pearling industry to end the curfew, remove the system of Protectors, and gain freedom to spend money and credit freely. The strike lasted from January to October and resulted in the abolition of the curfew, greater autonomy over company boat transactions, higher wages paid in cash, and release from the Protection system. The success inspired later protests against discriminatory practices in the army.
Background
The pearling industry in Torres Strait began in the 1860s and by the 1890s employed 70% of the workforce. The Queensland Government’s boat scheme, intended to free Islanders from corporate dependence, instead increased control by the local Protector, J.D. McLean, who imposed a curfew, directed recruitment, handled earnings, and shifted boats. This led to growing resentment among Islanders, who demanded an end to the curfew, removal of the Protector system, and freedom to spend money and credit freely.
What happened
On 14 January 1936, when Protector J.D. [source: nv-database] McLean visited Murray and Badu Islands to sign men onto company boats, maritime workers went on strike, refusing to work except on privately owned boats. [source: nv-database] At Badu Island, workers jumped out of hall windows as a sign of protest, whistled and called out ‘we will never sign back,’ and refused to confide in McLean [source: nv-database]. By 18 January, McLean arrested three boys to ‘make an example,’ and described the protests as a general strike; Islanders also prevented children from attending school and stole the school bell [source: nv-database]. On 8 February, three constables and three officers arrived, and on 12 February jailed thirty men for refusing to work on selected boats [source: nv-database]. By 26 February, O’Leary reported the strikes ended, but on 6 April he visited Saibai and Boigu with armed police and found workers still unwilling to work [source: nv-database]. On 6 July, newspapers reported McLean’s removal due to the strikes, and by 15 July most company boats remained idle [source: nv-database]. O’Leary returned as local Protector in mid-September and restructured the administration, abolishing the Bu whistle and curfew, granting greater autonomy, higher cash wages, and release from the Protection system [source: nv-database]. By the end of 1936, O’Leary’s amendments became known as the ‘new law,’ transferring powers to Island Councils [source: nv-database].
Key people & organizations
- Reverend Poi Passi
- J.D. McLean
- J.W. Bleakley
- Cornelius O’Leary
- Anglican Church
- Queensland Administration
- Department of Native Affairs
- Aboriginal Industries Board
Tactics used
The strike combined a refusal to work on company boats with symbolic acts like jumping out of windows and stealing the school bell, which unified the community and disrupted the administration’s control. The spread of information via cargo boat and the involvement of allies such as the Anglican Church and local shopkeepers amplified pressure on the government. [source: nv-database]
Outcome
Verdict: won.
The strikers achieved 3 out of 6 specific demands, including abolition of the curfew, greater autonomy, and cash wages, though the Protection system was not fully abolished. The limited success inspired later protests, and the campaign’s growth and survival were rated positively, with total points of 6.5 out of 10. [source: nv-database]
Lessons
- A strike can be sustained by spreading information through informal networks like cargo boats.
- Involving external allies such as churches and local businesses can increase pressure on authorities.
- Symbolic acts of defiance, like jumping out of windows, can become a unifying tradition for a movement.
Sources
- Global Nonviolent Action Database —
[[nv-database]]
Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.
Sources & verification
nv-database— grounding: primary — license: link-only- Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via
worker_casestudies_v2.py