Work and Conflict in the Meat-packing Industry, 1900–30

Abstract

Workers in the meat-packing industry have only occasionally earned the attention of historians of Argentina’s labour movement. Written from partisan ideological standpoints, previous labour histories focused on institutions, and ignored sectors which remained unorganised or impermeable to their ideological leanings.² Only when workers backed Peron did they attract the attention of researchers.³

In Campana there are many members of the resistance society, and in Zárate none. Why? In my view, when the worker is more enslaved and brutalised by work, the less he is concerned to improve his lot. Could this be true? (La Protesta Humana, 30 September 1903)

It was necessary to use force to get the meat-packers to leave their work in solidarity with Sacco and Vanzetti and Eusebio Magnasco. (Bandera Proletaria, 25 June 1927)

There were thousands at the gate. (Augustin, a worker in the Berisso meat-packers, 1985)

I am grateful to Juan Suriano, Héctor Palomino and Daniel James for their comments on this work.