I didnt find a specific wikipedia entry for the coal miner strike itself in english, just this part of Bismarcks entry:
As the debate continued, Wilhelm became increasingly interested in social problems, especially the treatment of mine workers during their strike in 1889. Keeping with his active policy in government, he routinely interrupted Bismarck in Council to make clear his social views. Bismarck sharply disagreed with Wilhelm’s policies and worked to circumvent them. Even though Wilhelm supported the altered anti-socialist bill, Bismarck pushed for his support to veto the bill in its entirety. When his arguments could not convince Wilhelm, Bismarck became excited and agitated until uncharacteristically blurting out his motive to see the bill fail: to have the socialists agitate until a violent clash occurred that could be used as a pretext to crush them. Wilhelm countered that he was not willing to open his reign with a bloody campaign against his own subjects
Just to add to that: while Wilhelm II. stance here was definitely the right one, social problems were manifold during his reign and his egocentric desire to bring Germany to its “deserved” place “under the sun” was one of the reasons for the first world war.
CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 1 day ago
No. OP never gives context, probably doesn’t even know any context since they just mindlessly repost reddit posts.
I can only assume this is about a strike 1889 in Ruhr region coal mines. Workers went on strike in late April, got a raise, went back to work for a few days, went on strike again in early May fighting for a work time reduction down to eight hours per day. As it was usual in those days the strike went down in violence and the following day the military engaged. A week later, 20 men were severely injured, another 15 dead. Originally 45 workers went on strike, soon 90,000 of 104,000 miners in the Ruhr region were striking.
Again, the military and police violently supressing strikes was a thing back then, but this time, the new Emperor of Germany, Willhelm II, decreed the strike was legal and forced the coal barons to agree to (some of) the workers’ demands and even decreed a maximum of eight work hours per day ("Berlin Protocol").
Added bonus: since not every coal baron felt the need to adhere, over the years striking became somewhat common with varying results. Many were supressed, some even violently and with bans on public gatherings. In 1891 though workers’ rights were codified into law, state’s oversight expanded, wages raised.
Years later in 1905 though one of the biggest and toughest protests took place. Working hours were to be increased againd and coal mines closed in Bochum (a city in the Ruhr region), so soon 200,000 coal miners went on strike and even coal workers abroad went on strike to show solidarity, 80,000 in Belgium alone, plus France and England. Protests also expanded, in Hamburg harbour and Berlin electric industry workers laid down their work. This all again resulted in codification of demands.