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Just found out that the Italian word for 'scab' or strike-breaker is 'crumiro'
It comes from the Crumiri, or Khroumir, a tribal confederation at the border between Algeria and Tunisia. Why??
It comes from the Crumiri, or Khroumir, a tribal confederation at the border between Algeria and Tunisia. Why??
so first, I have to tell you my surprise listening to this great strike song that a friend sent me.
I was like wait why are they talking about the Khroumirs??
I was like wait why are they talking about the Khroumirs??
but now an explanation:
the Khroumir were famous for being rebellious to governments in mountains. The instability of the region was a pretext for the French invasion of Tunisia in 1881. so in 19th century terms it meant something like 'savage'
the Khroumir were famous for being rebellious to governments in mountains. The instability of the region was a pretext for the French invasion of Tunisia in 1881. so in 19th century terms it meant something like 'savage'
the use of the term to denote strike-breakers may go back to a large strike of (mainly Italian) dock-workers in Marseille in 1901 ( https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciopero_di_Marsiglia)
There were rumours that bosses would break the strike by importing Arab dock-workers to replace Italians
There were rumours that bosses would break the strike by importing Arab dock-workers to replace Italians
so the non-unionised strikebreakers came to be called, disparagingly, 'Khroumirs', or basically Arab savages, a fun little reminder.
So the history of the term is a tight little reminder of the intersection of European working-class politics with imperial racism
So the history of the term is a tight little reminder of the intersection of European working-class politics with imperial racism
(oh and it's also a delicious kind of biscuit)
