| Formation | August 4, 1887; 137 years ago (1887-08-04) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Ettore Mattei |
| Founded at | Buenos Aires |
| Type | Trade union |
The Sociedad Cosmopolita de Resistencia y Colocación de Obreros Panaderos (lit. 'Cosmopolitan Society for the Resistance and Placement of Bakery Workers') was a trade union for bakers in Argentina. It was founded in 1887 by Italian anarchist labor organizer Ettore Mattei [es].
Establishment
The Sociedad Cosmopolita de Resistencia y Colocación de Obreros Panaderos was founded in Buenos Aires on August 4, 1887, by Italian anarchist labor organizer Ettore Mattei. The statutes for the union were drafted by Errico Malatesta, another Italian anarchist. It was the first bakers' union in Argentina, and the country's first society based around the principles of solidarity and resistance; members utilized direct action and the labor strike. August 4, the date of the union's establishment, was declared National Bakers' Day by the National Congress of Argentina in 1957.
Activity
In January 1888, less than six months after the establishment of the Sociedad Cosmopolita de Resistencia y Colocación de Obreros Panaderos, members of the union made the decision to organize a strike. Their goals were to improve working conditions; specific demands included weekly paychecks, a 30% increase in pay, elimination of night working and the provision of 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of bread per day. The strike lasted 10 days before succeeding, and inspired the creation of other anarchist labor unions. During the strike, the anarchists in the union renamed many baked goods with names that are still in use today, often alluding to actions against the state or satirizing religion and government. Examples include the bolas de fraile (lit. 'friar's balls') and the bomba (lit. 'bomb'). Pastries overall were termed facturas (lit. 'invoices' or 'bills').
In 1901, the bakers held another strike, this time demanding daily pay in place of free meals within the bakery, as well as the addition of one worker to each baking crew. The strike, during which workers used sabotage, was completely successful.
El Obrero Panadero
From 1894 to 1930, the union disseminated its own publication, titled El Obrero Panadero (lit. 'The Bakery Worker'). The newspaper's chief editor was the union's founder, Ettore Mattei.
See also
References
- ^ "Día Nacional del Panadero en Argentina: ¿por qué se celebra el 4 de agosto?" [National Baker's Day in Argentina: why is it celebrated on August 4?]. El Comercio Perú (in Spanish). 4 August 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "¿Por qué se festeja este miércoles el Día Nacional del Panadero?" [Why is National Baker's Day celebrated this Wednesday?]. La Capital (in Spanish). 4 August 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Día del Panadero: la historia de origen anarquista que hoy cumple 130 años" [Baker's Day: the anarchist origin story that turns 130 today]. La Nacion (in Spanish). 3 August 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ Bravo, Eduardo (20 July 2021). "Los panaderos anarquistas que dieron nombre a los dulces argentinos" [The anarchist bakers who gave their name to Argentine sweets]. Agente Provocador (in European Spanish). Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ King, Elizabeth (23 March 2017). "How Argentina's Baked Goods Reveal Its Political Past". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- Pignatelli, Adrián (4 August 2020). "Cañoncitos, bolas de fraile y vigilantes: los mensajes anarquistas que encierran las facturas" [Little cannons, friar balls and vigilantes: the anarchist messages contained in the pastries]. infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- "Entre facturas y la primera sociedad de resistencia" [Between invoices and the first resistance society]. El Patagonico. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- Marinelli, Maria (4 August 2020). "Día Nacional del Obrero Panadero: orígenes de la jornada" [National Day of the Bakery Worker: origins of the day]. itRosario (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 March 2022.