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SUMMARY:Gender Conflicts on the Shopfloor. Barcelona Women at Chocolates A
 matller (1890-1914) - Xavier Jou (University of Barcelona)
DTSTART:20231127T130000Z
DTEND:20231127T140000Z
UID:TALK206686@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:113473
DESCRIPTION:The cry of "Get married women out of the factories!" echoed wi
 thin the Spanish industrial landscape at the turn of the 20th century\, dr
 iven by two intertwined factors. From a societal perspective\, the convict
 ion that a married woman's realm belonged at home rather than within facto
 ry walls prevailed. On an economic note\, concerns arose that women\, due 
 to their lower wages\, were displacing men from job opportunities.\n\nThis
  research examines this phenomenon through a compelling case study of a wo
 rkers' social claim specifically targeted towards women during the process
  of feminization in during the latter half of the 19th century. The fundam
 ental aim of this article is to illuminate the intricate interplay of soci
 al demands and gender dynamics in the realm of labour and business operati
 ons. Through the vehicle of a case study methodology\, this research endea
 vours to gain insights into the intricate complexities of gender dynamics 
 during the industrialization phase\, as well as the challenges women encou
 ntered when joining the workforce in the modern factories.\n\nOn 25 May 18
 90\, the workforce (predominantly comprising men due to the nature of thei
 r claim) at the Amatller chocolate factory went a strike. They were protes
 ting because certain job positions\, previously occupied by men\, had been
  assigned to women. This strike represents the sparkle to comprehend the c
 asual nature of the stereotype that positioned women as procreators rather
  than contributors to production\, expelling them from the productive sphe
 re and relegating them to domestic roles as wives and mothers. While women
  were accepted as paid workers\, their roles were confined to those undesi
 rable or unwillingly shouldered by men\, steering clear of direct competit
 ion.\n\nScrutinizing the role of female factory workers two decades post-s
 trike\, it becomes evident that women actively participated in the chocola
 te factory's operations\, defying the male contention. Nevertheless\, the 
 outcome of the 1890 strike cannot be framed as a victory or defeat for eit
 her men or women. The male factory workers vocalized their quest for enhan
 ced working conditions\, but regrettably\, they directed their frustration
 s at women\, swayed by the prevalent social discourse of that era. While w
 omen did step into the factory\, portraying them as unequivocal victors wo
 uld be an oversimplification. Their presence was restricted\, with scarce 
 avenues for professional advancement and task segregation primarily confin
 ing them to manual labour tasks. This gendered task partition perpetuated 
 wage disparities and further marginalized women within the workspace.\n\nT
 he historical significance of the Chocolates Amatller's case lies in its p
 ortrayal of one of Spain's earliest documented labour gender conflicts\, w
 here workers aimed to obstruct the entry of female factory labour. Additio
 nally\, the unique archival revelation\, detailing vast information about 
 the factory employees\, can be a valuable source for the study of labour a
 nd business history. The male-initiated strike and its aftermath offer a w
 indow into the intricate interplay between gender dynamics\, social claims
  and labour practices during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
LOCATION:Room 12\, Faculty of History
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