The Obukhov defense was one of the first in Russian history to be a clash between workers and state forces on the basis of political protest. After only five to seven years, such performances will become routine for the public of the Russian Empire. The beginning of the 20th century was extremely intense in this regard. During this period, many revolutionary political forces infiltrated factories in St. Petersburg and other major cities of the country, where they expanded their own social base and the number of people sympathetic to their ideas.
Background to the uprising
So, at Obukhov Steel Plant in St. Petersburg, revolutionary propaganda was actively conducted by almost two dozen social-democratic circles. Together, they covered about two hundred people. In April 1901, the management of the enterprise tried to speed up production by tightening the work schedule and introducing overtime. This step aroused extreme discontent among most workers. However, no proper conclusions were made by the plant management. The latter continued to bend their line. In response to such a policy, representatives of several clandestine circles announced a political strike on May 1, 1901. Several hundred workers did not go to work that day. The plant management tried to pacify employees by demonstrative layoffs: on May 5, about seventy instigators lost their place.
The demands of the workers and the start of the uprising
In turn, the strikers already went to the administration on May 7 with social requirements: first, to cancel the decision on dismissals, and also set an 8-hour work day, designate May 1 as a public holiday, create a council of workers at the factory, and cancel overtime work , increase wages, reduce fines and so on.
After the administration refused to satisfy the demands, the strikers finally stopped the work of the workshops.
They took to the streets, where they were also joined by workers from the Cardboard Factory and the Alexander Plant. Soon, horse-drawn police detachments arrived at the scene, but they were thrown in a hail of stones. The police opened fire on the workers, after which they were forced to hide in the premises of the Cardboard Factory.
Soon, representatives of other factories in the capital tried to help the barricaded strikers. The formed Obukhov Defense Union literally broke up police units, total chaos began on the streets of the capital.
Urgently driven soldiers of the Omsk regiment were able to restore order on the streets of the city only in the evening, using volleys and butts. The Obukhov defense on the first day claimed the lives of eight workers and several police officers.
The results of the uprising
The next few days, both sides spent in suspense. However, such large-scale actions were no longer repeated. On May 12, elected deputies from the workers reappeared to the factory management, repeating their demands. As a result of the negotiations, twelve of the fourteen demands of the workers were fulfilled. Obukhov defense has borne fruit. The issue of granting holiday status to May 1 was postponed. And although the conflict was generally resolved, the Obukhov defense continued in the form of local clashes throughout the city for another whole month.