Saying no. The intersectional forces behind chambermaids’ strikes

Strikes led by chambermaids often aroused more surprise, even sympathy, than other forms of mobilization. This astonishment, which reveals the strength of the denial of anteriority surrounding the struggles of working-class women, is amplified by the supposedly “improbable” and rare nature of female struggles. In order to break with this narrative, which associates the working-class population with “ressource less” groups, this article aims to deconstruct the study of involvement in trade union mobilisations by adopting a general and intersectional sociology. From which spaces do these mobilizations emerge? How do they unfold in practice? To give an accurate account, it is necessary to observe in practice the intersection of multiple forms of dominations – class, race and gender – in order to identify how they organise a collective identification based on an understanding of these mechanisms of oppression (1), but also how mobilisation can represent an opportunity to escape from these dominations (2). The quest for autonomy and the defense of the right to live with dignity have their origins well upstream of the conflicts observed. In this respect, they form part of a continuum between the private and professional spheres. The article draws on an ethnographic survey made up of observations and interviews with chambermaids mobilized in Marseille between 2017 and 2022.