UCL has joined the initiatives to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of
the sardine workers' strike in Douarnenez: what ideas can we draw fromthe experiences of historical struggles to make our own more effective
and impactful? ---- The Pemp Real A Vo collective was formed to offer
numerous events on the theme of the sardine workers' revolt starting on
September 21. Its name is that of the historic slogan, "we will have
five cents", which was chanted in 1924 by the workers to demand their
wage increase to 1 franc 25. Plays, struggle songs, conferences and
screenings[1]punctuated the cultural life of the red city, a former
bastion of communism, in 2024. One of the most significant events was
undoubtedly the day of November 23, exactly one hundred years after the
strike began.
Douarnenez in red and black
That day, not a single drop (or almost) came to mark the festivities
with its inopportune presence, and the streets were packed with people
to accompany the long singing parade of Pemp Real A Vo in the early
afternoon. We can note the diversity of people who came to attend or
participate in this great parade: from young children to the elderly,
activists and ordinary residents, all side by side to accompany the
chorus of feminist songs "A la huelga!", "Cancion sin miedo" and of
course "Penn sardin". The clogs, put on for the occasion, clattered on
the asphalt that was once cobblestones, the placards celebrated the
protest spirit, the clothes were red and black. It is unusual to see
such a diverse crowd gather under the symbols of communism and it warms
the heart.
The Place des Halles was full upon arrival, where a feminist choir
performed, including a comrade from UCL Finistère. Many people were
pushed back into the surrounding streets and struggled to hear the songs
interspersed with short moments of narration briefly presenting the
progress of the great strike. The day ended as it should with a
fest-noz, a local dance party, which left us sweating and smiles on our
faces.
This day allowed us to inform a large audience about an important
struggle of the 20th century and to remind us that our struggles can be
victories as well as they can be celebrations.
Charles Tillon, The Sardinian Workers' Revolt, oil on canvas, 1926.
Charles Tillon Douarnenez city website
When the sardine workers won
It was on January 4, 1925, after a month and a half of intensive strike
action, that the factory workers obtained a pay rise. So it was exactly
one hundred years later - exactly! - that we found ourselves in
Douarnenez again, this time in the pouring rain but still with smiles on
our faces and determination in our eyes. At least the wind spared us.
Soaked, a militant procession went up the quays, preceded by dancers who
imperturbably beat the pavement to the rhythm of the drums. We then went
into the town, passing in front of the Place de la Résistance and
finally stopping in front of the covered market.
A small-scale event to close these several months of celebration of the
centenary of the great Penn Sardin strike, which we reported on in the
November issue of Alternative libertaire[2]. Between 300 and 500 people
(mainly activists) responded to the call for the "great feminist
gathering" launched by the Family Planning. The people of Rennes came in
large numbers: NousToutes35 Rennes sent a bus for the occasion, filled
to capacity with several political and union organizations! We've seen
worse gatherings, and the end of the demonstration was an opportunity to
meet up in a warm café to think together about the best way to burn down
the patriarchy.
Making our current struggles the celebrations of tomorrow
Far be it from us to celebrate the Penn Sardin as if they were an
element of history that must remain in the past, immutable and perfectly
useless. If the Penn Sardin are emerging from oblivion, it is not a
simple coincidence or an old lady's whim: the interest in this struggle
was born in a context of construction of the feminist strike, which has
been underway for several years within the various inter-organizations.
It has become the watchword of the Feminist Coordination, and the name
of one of the inter-organizations at the national level.
When we talk about a feminist strike, many questions arise: how to
infuse this idea? And then a strike of what? Do we want to stop our
paid work, leave our workplaces to end up on the street for a day? Do we
want to stop our domestic work, to show our husbands and children how
necessary our daily work is for their survival? Do we want to take the
time to get together to strengthen our solidarity? How can we make it
more clearly and massively visible that without us, the world stops?
How can we motivate as many women as possible to stop their work? And
then men, do we encourage them to strike too, to go out on the street,
to do tasks that allow us to better mobilize, to look after the children
while we march?
These questions are accompanied by an acknowledgement of failure: if the
date has been called for several years, the figures for the March 8
strike are generally very low[3]. We need examples, feedback, new ideas,
to ensure that this strike is massive and sustainable.
The cannery today
Even today, there are three canneries left in Douarnenez, which provide
around a thousand of the 7,200 jobs in the urban area[4]. It is still
mainly women who occupy what is now called the position of cannery worker.
Even if working conditions have changed a lot over the last hundred
years, they are still far from perfect. The workers recently made
headlines thanks to a strike organized in the Chancerelle factory in
March 2024 by the CGT. This follows a recent deterioration in working
conditions in the factory, new management methods and the installation
of an automated line at the beginning of the year[5]. The gradual loss
of the human side, the demands for productivity, job insecurity and
degrading comments from management have finally led to a resurgence of
union activity. Much remains to be done: following negotiations, the
Chancerelle workers only obtained a raise of 1 euro per day[6].
Journalist Tiphaine Guéret gives a voice to the workers in her book
Ecoutez gronder leur colère, published this year by Libertalia[7].
One of these workers came to talk to us about her working conditions
during the demonstration on January 4, an opportunity to exchange advice
on how to lead a successful strike. She particularly mentioned the
composition of the teams: women are over-represented in the precarious
and underpaid positions in the factory, particularly racialized women.
The language barrier is a real challenge for union representatives who
struggle to clearly communicate the issues and the bosses use it to
scare and demobilize the employees. It is therefore a question of
recreating and strengthening the links between the workers, to assert
their rights.
The sardine workers' struggle must be international
While the Chancerelle company prides itself on the French production of
its sardine cans, the factory in Douarnenez is in reality only a
showcase when we compare its size to the size of the factory in Agadir,
Morocco: the latter has many more employees, who are also paid much less
than those based in Douarnenez. Communication between the workers in
Douarnenez and the workers in Agadir is completely non-existent. The
bosses prevent any form of links between the French and Moroccan workers
for the sole purpose of protecting their interests and preventing them
from discussing their working conditions. It seems that the female
workers of Agadir are also mobilizing, with management regularly making
trips to resolve management issues.
We will not end patriarchy by creating new laws. We will not end
patriarchy through individual deconstruction, by changing gender norms.
Nor will we end patriarchy by politely asking men to stop exploiting us,
or bosses to stop raking in the cash on our backs. To win, we will have
to build a clear balance of power, and stopping all forms of women's
work is necessary: without us, nothing is possible!
So let's meet in large numbers in the streets on March 8, in all cities.
Let's increase the strike numbers, close schools, daycare centers,
nursing homes, and leave it to the bosses to clean the offices and
landings of buildings.
Lou (UCL Rennes) and Johanna (UCL Finistère)
Tiphaine Guéret, Listen to their anger rumble, Libertalia, 2025, 108
pages, 10 euros. Cover: AL 357 - antipat - livre_gueret.png
Validate
[1]"The centenary of the sardine workers: program of events", on
Douarnenez.bzh.
[2]See "The Great Penn Sardin Strike" and "A Penn Sardin elected
municipal councilor", Alternative libertaire no. 354, November 2024.
[3]We are talking here about the figures for the salaried work strike,
it is difficult to quantify the domestic work strike.
[4]Tiphaine Guéret, "With the workers of Douarnenez, one hundred years
after a historic strike", basta!, October 28, 2024.
[5]Typhaine Morin, "In Douarnenez, 100 years after the sardine workers'
strike, working conditions are still at the heart of concerns", France
Bleu, January 8, 2025.
[6]Liza Le Tonquer, "Tomorrow at work", broadcast on January 9, 2025, in
replay on France.tv.
[7]Tiphaine Guéret, Listen to their anger growl, Libertalia, 2025.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?1925-greve-des-Penn-Sardin-Quand-les-luttes-d-hier-inspirent-celles-d-aujourd
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