125 years ago today, on January 4, 1900 (December 4, 1899 in the lunar calendar), a wave of strikes swept across Europe. January 4, 1900. The recent wave of strikes in the coal fields of Belgium and Germany has strongly shaken both countries. Many factories were forced to shut down due to lack of fuel. Just this month, workers' resistance spread to other industries in Europe. Steelworkers strike in Vienna; In Brussels, glass workers strike; In western Bohemia, 5,000 workers from all walks of life went on strike. These strike actions were reportedly spontaneous rather than the result of organized activities. But most people's demands are similar: an eight-hour working day, a substantial wage increase (20% in some cases) and improved working conditions. Although the order was rather chaotic, the managers of various companies were firmly sitting on the fishing boats, and they didn't seem to make any concessions to the disgruntled employees.