In this year 1924, the city of Douarnenez, in Brittany, resounds with the songs of the workers’ revolt. A social movement of unprecedented scale shakes the sardine canneries, mobilizing hundreds of workers, mostly women, in a fight for better working conditions and fair pay. It is in this post-war context, marked by galloping inflation and harsh working conditions, that the cannery workers rise up against exploitation and wage injustice.
The Carnaud factory, manufacturer of cans for sardine factories, is the starting point of this revolt. A hundred female workers and forty male workers begin a strike to obtain a wage increase of 20 centimes. At that time, the workers earned only 0.80 francs an hour, a pittance compared to the difficult working conditions they endured daily. Working in the cold, handling boiling water and subjected to exhausting work rates, these women faced inhumane conditions.
The protest quickly spread to the whole of Douarnenez, paralyzing the 21 sardine canneries in the city. The fishermen joined the movement, strengthening the workers’ struggle. Encouraged by the support of the communist mayor and the presence of union activists, the movement gained in power and determination. The General Confederation of Unitary Labor (CGTU) sent reinforcements, making this strike a symbol of the workers’ struggle on a national scale.
Faced with the intransigence of the bosses, the sardine workers’ strike became a major political issue. The workers’ demands found an echo throughout the country, forcing the authorities to take measures to end the crisis. Despite attempts at mediation, negotiations failed, and the strike continued for 46 days, highlighting the flagrant injustices of the workers’ system at the time.
Beyond the wage demands, the Douarnenez sardine workers’ strike marked a turning point in the social history of Brittany. It demonstrated the courage and determination of workers in the face of exploitation and oppression. This struggle for dignity and recognition of workers’ rights will remain etched in memories, recalling the importance of solidarity and collective mobilization to assert the aspirations of the working class.