1973 migrant-lead strikes in the Pierburg and Ford plant in Cologne

The strike at the Neuss-based automotive supplier Pierburg made headlines nationwide in 1973. It was one of over 300 so-called "wildcat strikes" during this period, in which foreign workers and Germans worked together to improve working conditions. These strikes were called "wild" because they were not started or supported by a trade union.

In many factories it was mostly migrants who started and led the strikes. At Pierburg, migrant women took a leading role in this process. Together with the majority of their colleagues, they stood up for more equal rights and a fair work situation for all.