The decada moderada ended with the Revolution of 1854, which saw the Progressives under Leopoldo O'Donnell execute a coup with British and French support to put Baldomero Espartero in power, ushering in the bienio progresista (lit.
These workers saw progressivism as one of the key tenets of organized labor, alongside freedom of association and collective bargaining, and expected the new Progressive government to work on their behalf.
[13][14] Josep Barceló Cassadó, a local weaver and labor leader, came to prominence during this conflict and would go on to play a major role in the 1855 general strike.
In February 1855, the authorities arrested a group of weavers attempting to organize workers in factories around Barcelona, and in May, the government rescinded the ban on automatic spinning machines.
The straw that broke the camel's back was the execution of Josep Barceló, who was arrested by Juan Zapatero y Navas [es], the new captain-general of Catalonia.
[15] Soon after, worker's associations were banned altogether, collective agreements were annulled, and several prominent labor leaders were imprisoned, with some being deported to Cuba.
[3] Another attack took place in Igualada against manufacturer Ramon Godó and his family, but otherwise, the strike was peaceful, with workers taking to the streets bearing flags with the slogans “Viva Espartero.
[1][4] The end of the strike led to the proposal of the “Manufacturing Industries Bill” in the Cortes Generales, which authorized mixed arbitration panels but failed to give workers adequate representation.
The paper, which was overseen by typographer Ramon Simó i Badia, managed to gain over 30,000 signatures in support of a manifesto to be delivered before the Cortes demanding the right to free association.