South Africa

Trade unions in South Africa have played a decisive role in the country's history. The first trade unions were established in the early 1870s when European settlers were driving industrial development. However, these unions were mainly for white workers and largely excluded black workers. This led to a deep division within the labour movement and laid the foundations for future conflicts. The first white unions also had slogans such as: "Workers of the world, unite and fight for a white South Africa!". The first attempt to establish a trade union for Black workers began in 1919, when the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICUW) was founded. However, it gained little support and membership. As early as 1924, the colonial government passed the Industrial Act, which meant that all Black trade unions were banned. Although this law was sometimes enforced more harshly, sometimes more weakly, Black trade unions had little chance of forming.

However, in the 1940s and 1960s, there was an upswing, or rather a heyday, of Black trade unions in South Africa. This can be explained by the fact that apartheid laws were tightened in the 1960s and this led to increasing unrest against the system. The 1960s were a time of increasing resistance to apartheid. While political organisations such as the ANC ( African National Congress ) and the PAC (Pan Africanist Congress) were weakened by repression, e.g. the arrest of Nelson Mandela in 1962, trade unions began to play a central role in the resistance. They provided a platform for linking labour concerns with political demands. For example, umbrella organisations such as the CNETU and SACTU were founded. These early efforts were important as they paved the way for stronger organisations later on.

The founding of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) in 1955 marked a turning point. SACTU was the first major trade union organisation to campaign for the rights of black workers and integrate them into the struggle against the apartheid regime. This organisation played a central role in the mobilisation and radicalisation of the Black labour movement. During the 1970s and 1980s, the influence of the Black labour unions continued to grow. During this period, many new trade unions emerged that actively opposed apartheid policies and allied themselves with international trade union movements. These international links strengthened the position of South African trade unions and helped them to exert global pressure on the apartheid regime.

A significant event was the Soweto 3 uprising in 1976, which raised awareness of the oppression of black workers worldwide. Cooperation between South African trade unions and international organisations was crucial in the fight against apartheid. The links with European and American trade unions in particular made it possible to exchange resources and knowledge. These protests by the Black population then ended in the Soweto Uprising in 1976. Due to the growing pressure, COSATU (The Congress of South African Trade Unions) was recognised as the first Black umbrella organisation. Today, the umbrella organisation is the largest black umbrella organisation in South Africa with around 1.8 million members.