A seaweed harvesting trade that organises to assert its rights

To supply the iodine plants, the amount of work demanded of the seaweed harvesters was colossal, as shown by the quantities of seaweed gathered. Once the seaweed had been dried and burned in the kilns, the blocks of soda ash were delivered to the plants to extract the iodine. These agglomerated seaweed ashes were then analysed, and payment varied according to their iodine content (the assay).

Disputes were frequent. The plants agreed among themselves on prices and drove them down, complaining about the quality of the soda blocks, which they blamed on poor mixing or bad burning. For their part, the harvesters had no way of checking production. The price paid for this gruelling work and this family labour was so derisory that the trade was gradually abandoned in favour of the merchant navy, the Royal Navy, the Arsenal, or the fire brigade…

It was not until 1930 that the beginnings of unionisation appeared in the profession, thanks to the commitment of local figures such as Jean Ogor, Jean Pronost and Herveline Grall.

Novels, films and songs made known and denounced the living conditions of those known as the “convicts of the sea.” This exposure drew the attention of the local population and the public authorities.