Strikes of Journeymen and Workers
France 1840
Synopsis
During the summer of 1840, strike waves brought industry in Paris to a standstill. Tens of thousands of workers from across the trades were involved at the height of the strikes in late August and early September. The strikers demanded higher wages and better working conditions. Profound changes had occurred in the way work was organized, adversely affecting the Parisian artisans. In response, the journeymen of Paris organized to protect their livelihood. In terms of what concessions the workers gained from employers, the strikes were a failure. Strikes were illegal under laws against coalitions of workers, and the army was brought in. The government did not deal with the strikers' grievances. However, the strikes did have some far-reaching consequences. The harsh repression further alienated the workers from a regime that seemed more interested in the protection of capital than the rights of labor. The strikes also encouraged workers from different trades to recognize their common grievances. The failure of the strike led people to seek alternative ways to address the problems of wages and working conditions. This was the beginning of a decade of labor organization and activity leading up to the 1848 revolution.
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