Working Women
Historic Cannery Row
Prior to World War II, only women were allowed to work on cannery lines (top). In some canneries, only “white American women” were allowed to pack fish. Working the lines was considered “women’s work.” Even if there were men available, the canneries would shut down if there weren’t enough women to work the lines.
Women packed oval sardine cans at the California Packing Corporation, a part of Del Monte Foods (middle). They were paid by the piece, or can. In 1939, at the peak of the industry, a worker made 23 cents for every 16 cans of fish she put up. Some canneries pinned piecework cards to the women’s back to keep track of the number of cans they filled.
The forelady walked the line every hour, checking the progress of “the pack” and marking piecework cards (bottom). These floor managers had to speak enough of the several languages represented in the workforce to resolve any problems that came up. At a season’s height, women worked as many as 12 hours a day, six days a week.
Marker is at the intersection of Cannery Row and Prescott Avenue on Cannery Row.
Courtesy hmdb.org
