The National Liberation Struggle in South Africa: A Case Study of the United Democratic Front, 1983-87 by Gregory F Houston

Author:Gregory F Houston [Houston, Gregory F]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General
ISBN: 9780429810701
Google: JAKaDwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 50886444
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2019-05-23T00:00:00+00:00

The South African Allied Workers’ Union (SAAWU)

Formation

SAAWU was formed in March 1979 at the National Conference of BAWU in Durban. A split developed in BAWU between supporters of Black Consciousness (mainly the Johannesburg and Newcastle branches) and supporters of non-racialism (the Durban and East London branches). Differences also arose over the representation of the union overseas and charges of financial mismanagement. The National Conference decided to expel the Johannesburg and Newcastle officials and changed the name of the trade union.

From the outset SAAWU was a general union and organised workers in the metal, building, food, motor, electrical, rubber, plastic, chemical, printing, distribution, municipal, power stations, railways, health, transport, furniture, education, services, paper, and wood sectors into 23 ‘sub-unions’. The long-term aim of the union was to form a federation and to develop affiliates along industrial lines. In 1981 the Natal-based National Federation of Black Workers split from BAWU and joined SAAWU, adding a further 26 affiliates to the union (Davies et al., 1988, p. 337). SAAWU was originally based in Durban but moved its head office to East London in 1980. The union had affiliates in the Transvaal and in 1984 it began organising in the Western Cape. In 1984 SAAWU shifted its headquarters to Johannesburg following a split in the union.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.