In January 1919, 25,000 industrial workers packed out Glasgow’s George Square to demand their right to a maximum forty-hour working week. Describing the demonstration as a “Bolshevist uprising,” the British government’s secretary of state for Scotland had to resort to sending in soldiers and tanks to quell the unrest.

The so-called Battle of George Square took place at the height of Red Clydeside — a period when revolution and radicalism swept the banks of the River Clyde. Never in Scotland’s history have workers had more power — or come closer to revolution. This was, indeed, a decisive era for the British labor movement. In the first general election following the “battle,” Scotland elected a further 23 Labour MPs, paving the way for the first Labour government in 1923.

A century later, Glasgow’s industrial front has mobilized again. Several essential industries in the city, including refuse and transport, have in recent years seen budgets cut, staff numbers slashed, and demands for better treatment ignored. But in the weeks ahead of COP26, strike action was called — and timed to severely disrupt the summit. This pressure was itself enough to secure major concessions from authorities who feared losing face during the event.