United we stand, divided we fall. Union organization and political activism among Jewish woodworkers in early-twentieth-century Buenos Aires

Abstract

This article focuses on the formation of the working class in Argentina, specifically within the Jewish East-European sector of the furniture industry during the early twentieth century. It examines Jewish immigration, their integration into the timber sector of Buenos Aires, and diverse labour relationships. Through an analysis of social and labour conflicts, the paper aims to study how Yiddish-speaking workers integrated into a highly cosmopolitan working class, put, at the same time, into a broader perspective of Jewish immigration into the Global South. By doing so, we hope to enhance our understanding of the significant role played by Jewish workers in the trajectory of the Argentine working class.