Memories and experiences at the Rheingantz Factory: social security policies and the reproduction of the working class (Rio Grande / RS, 1920 to 1968)

Abstract

The article aims to analyze the gender relations present in the care policies aimed at workers at the Rheingantz Factory. Located in the south of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, with its foundation in 1873, the Rheingantz factory was the first textile company in the state. It is investigated that working women, in addition to being the main labor force in industry, were also responsible for the reproduction of the working class. Through the documentation of the administrative sector of the factory and the methodology of Oral History, the care policies that encouraged women to start a family were explored. The research problem is related to how the incentive to establish a family nucleus (with implications for care and reproductive work) was present in the daily life of the factory from social assistance policies aimed at working women, structuring gender inequalities in the Rheingantz Factory. For this, the time frame comprises different moments of the national and local conjuncture, from 1920 to 1968, the year in which the company ended its activities.

Keywords

• rheingantz factory
• care policies
• reproductive work