About this episode

This episode discusses the Kingston Dock Boycott of 1935, where port workers protested against unpaid lunch hours.

On this day, 9 May 1935, port workers in Kingston, Jamaica refused to load a vessel, the MV Costa Rica. One of their complaints was that they were not being paid for their lunch hour and demanded a settlement. Leading worker organiser William Alexander Bustamante intervened and an agreement with employers was reached. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10933/kingston-port-workers-strike Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon . If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory . See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/today Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

People in this episode

Host: Working Class History

Topics covered

• labor history
• dock workers
• boycotts
• Jamaican history
• worker rights

Keywords

• Kingston
• dock boycott
• William Alexander Bustamante
• MV Costa Rica
• Jamaica
• labor rights
• 1935

Mentioned in this episode

Products: MV Costa Rica

Places: Kingston, Jamaica

More episodes of On This Day in Working Class History

• 8 May 1978: Peru great education strike · May 8, 2026 · 1 min
• 7 May 1912: NYC waiters strike · May 7, 2026 · 2 min
• 6 May 1937: IN Vaughan strike · May 6, 2026 · 1 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the On This Day in Working Class History podcast page.