Bottle

Dairy industry

Women played a crucial role in the Gipuzkoan dairy sector, which experienced significant development in the 20th century. In 1952, the Decree on Dairy Plants for municipalities with more than 25,000 inhabitants marked an important milestone in the Spanish dairy industry. Shortly afterward, the “Provincial Cooperative of Milk Producers of Guipúzcoa” was established.

In 1969, a proposal was made to create a company that would integrate three dairy plants, unifying the commercial company under the name Kaiku, which expanded outside Euskadi. Kaiku is today an important brand name.

In the Basque Country, the 20th century was marked by rapid industrialization that affected the role of women in the local economy. Women were actively involved in both traditional agricultural work in the caserios (baserriak, in Basque) and new industries. Women supported or even led the operation of farms, taking care of agricultural work, livestock, and domestic tasks; this included the management of dairy cattle and small-scale dairy production. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, many women sold farm products at local fairs, including dairy products. However, the working conditions for women in the industry were precarious. Women, in general, occupied less qualified and lower-paid positions. Women’s work was considered temporary and secondary, which justified lower wages. Until the 1870s, working days could extend to 14 or 16 hours a day. Furthermore, factories were described as “hellish workshops” by hygienists of the time, with poor ventilation and unhealthy conditions. At the beginning of the 20th century, laws were implemented that restricted jobs that were considered dangerous for women, although this was also a form of discrimination rather than protection.