Registered trade unions in south africa for 31 may 2017 information provided by the department of labour. The federation has failed and faces challenges to both membership and organisation because it has inadequately confronted the material conditions of capitalism which have resulted in structural issues such as the informalisation and casualisation of the work force. Nov 08, 2012 this is certainly the case in south africa where unionised workers earn markedly more than their nonunionised counterparts and where their improved wages have improved incomes overall and have provided a marginal, if unofficial, social welfare safety net for unemployed dependents. The action was the third leg in cosatus campaign to protest against job losses and fight for new policies to create jobs. This has led michael bratton, a leading scholar on democracy in africa, to say.
Trade unions in an emerging economy the case of south africa. Gender transformation in the workplace and the role of trade unions in south africa. They represent different political traditions and all are marked by serious organisational problems. The close links between liberation and labour movements in parts of southern africa are still visible today particularly in those countries that attained their independence in recent years, like namibia and south africa. Saha south african history archive the demand for trade. Trade unions played an important role in south africas transition from apartheid in. Fedusa federation of trade unions of south africa fes friedrich albert stiftung fftuz federation of free trade unions fiwon federation of informal workers of nigeria. South africa is not exceptional in this unions all over the world have been in decline.
Wheraas white workingclass women of south africa, like european and counterparts elsewhere are. I declare that the thesis entitled the social responsibility of south african trade unions. This is what inspired the researcher to conduct a study in order to examine the role and challenges of trade unions in postapartheid south. A stud oyf african trade unionism in the union of south africa is as difficult as it is urgent. A case study of rand water libanus quanson 697739 a research report submitted to the faculty of humanities, university of the witwatersrand, johannesburg, south africa, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of. It was not until the 1920s that trade unions formed by. The roles played by the national union of namibian workers nunw and the. The union grew to a membership of 53,000 by 1961, but was driven underground, and for a decade black unionism was again virtually silenced in south africa. Congress of south african trade unions cosatu are instructive in this regard. Various forms of antiunionism in korea antiunionism in korea has taken various forms and characteristics since. Cape town south africa already has four trade unions, the federation of unions of south africa fedusa said on tuesday as nineplus unions gear up to form a new independent labour federation.
South africa is the most industrialised african country and its labour force is equally the largest and most powerful, despite the nigerian in africalabour congress nlcs claim of a higher membership of 3 million. The rise of insurgent trade unionism in south africa pluto press, which details this experience. Unions used to be a vehicle for politics and they are finding it difficult to shift from this mode. Trade unions and financial inclusion the case of south africa. Find trade unions in africa and get directions and maps for local businesses in africa. South african trade unions in recent years have been particularly vocal in their demands for unionised workers and indeed in their opinions on economic issues in south africa. Causes and consequence of types of antitrade unionism. Trade unions in transformation is an fes project that identifies. I use the story of cosatu to build on a theory of political unionism that is encompasses the various economic, social and political roles of trade unions and their strategic. Current labour market challenges facing trade unions 16 1. It may seem odd to couple the words democracy and africa in the same sentence. The atuc represented black african workers, and was opposed to the system of white minority rule in rhodesia.
The university of the witwatersrand the role of trade unions. Such example and imitation was, especially in the less literate parts of africa, the. President of the south african congress of trade unions. They have little impact on the official public sphere. This article deliberates the current state of trade unionism in south africa. In south africa, this is particularly interesting, given its political and economic history, and relatively recent democratization. The best 10 trade unions 2020 africa african advice. Trywell kalusopa kwabena nyarko otoo hilma shindondolamote. The challenges facing the south african labour movement. However, if one takes the economically active population as a reference, union density levels become extremely low 15%, with the exception of south africa.
I contribute to this trend by studying the role of the congress of south african trade unions cosatu and their role in shaping south africas transition to democracy. Gender transformation in the workplace and the role of. Although instrumental in the formation in 1999 of the oppositional movement for democratic change mdc, the zimbabwean congress of trade unions zctu is not part of it. Congress of south african trade unions which was founded in 1985 today, with 1,7 million members not only the largest of the three federations in south africa, but undoubtedly also the strongest and politically most important in the whole of africa, despite the nigerians nlc claim of a higher membership 3 million became a. The relationship between trade unionism and politics in south africa reminds us of th e relationship that existed or stillexists in other parts of the world, especially in. This is what inspired the researcher to conduct a study in order to. Through the turbulent years of 19481991 trade unions played an important part in developing political and economic resistance, and eventually were one of the. Trade unions in south africa have a history dating back to the 1880s.
Ways in which south african trade unions have intervened in the labour. It then attempts to establish how trade unions have made use of the institution of collective bargaining, the importance of organisational rights to the trade union movement, the effectiveness of industrial. Firstly, it considers the outcomes of research that was conducted in 2011. All photographs were taken by imani countess, solidarity center in 20 unless otherwise noted. South african unions are therefore often in the public eye and are seen by many as creating unnecessary rigidity in the labour market. Sa already has four union federations fedusa fin24. South african unions are large but fragmented, substantial but politically weak. The federations unique participatory and democratic shop steward system also facilitated worker militancy and cohesiveness. To fully comprehend the importance of trade unions and the role they have played in the transition of south africa, an overview will be given. The objective of the study was to reflect on the viewpoints of south african trade union leaders on factors influencing the future of trade unions as organisations. Arrested in 196 on a charge of high treasonhe is still standing trial and detained during the i960. The role of women in the south african trade union movement. During apartheid, their objectives were distinctly political.
Enterprise unionism has been a major institutional barrier to organisation of workers at smes. The different periods of south africas modern capitalist history shaped workers organisation. Ways in which south african trade unions have intervened in the labour market 22 chapter two. Factors influencing the future existence of trade unions. In south africa, categorization of ethnic and racial groupings is contentious. Following official usage in the postapartheid era, and use by ethnic groups themselves, the term african refers to those of black african descent, indian to those of south asian india pakistan descent, whilst coloured denotes mixed racial origin, as well as.
In south africa trade unions played a very important role to dismantle apartheid. The atuc was formed in 1962 as the southern rhodesian african trade union congress sratuc, a breakaway from the more moderate southern rhodesian trade union congress. It then attempts to establish how trade unions have made use of the institution of collective bargaining, the. A case study of rand water libanus quanson 697739 a research report submitted to the faculty of humanities, university of the witwatersrand, johannesburg, south africa.
In the country like south africa where there are not developed state and people are also illiterate but their awareness of the trade union is influence much more than any other country and one of the trade union is the congress of south african trade unions which encompasses 1. South africa, uganda ghana, south africa friedrichebertstiftung international trade union cooperation brie. After all, the international news media portray the subsaharan subcontinent as a terrain of autocratic government and. Trade unions and corporatism in south africa johann maree introduction there is a remarkably strong corporatist current flowing in south africa the major actors labour, capital and the state are so caught up in it that they are hardly aware of the fact that they have become part of the current as a result. The role and challenges of trade unions in postapartheid. H in 1979 the federation of south african trade unions fosatu was formed, with the council of unions of south africa cusa being created in the following year. Maree, j 1993 trade unions and corporatism in south africa, in transformation 21 sached. This study investigates workers perceptions of the congress of south african trade unions cosatu and the zimbabwe congress of trade unions zctu practices on elections and living wage issues from a social movement perspective from the apartheid south africa and unilateral declaration of independence zimbabwe eras to 2009. However, since 1994 a series of questions that relate to their role in democratic south africa have remained unanswered. It can be argued today that trade unions are more necessary than ever. The newly launched trade union grouping in south africa the south african federation of trade unions promises to be a voice for the growing numbers of. Trade unions in many african countries played a muscular and seminal role in the late 1980s and early 1990s in mobilizing the mass protests and strikes that led to the overthrow of old authoritarian regimes and ushered in democratic transitions.
South africa and the united states, 19051925 safundi. This booklet reflects on the resistance workers posed to racial. Below is an excerpt from luke sinwell and siphiwe mbathas new book, the spirit of marikana. The rise of insurgent trade unionism in south africa. The journal of south african and american studies vol. The african trade union congress atuc was a national trade union centre in rhodesia later zimbabwe. May 07, 2016 labour unions have played an integral role as a voice for social transformation in south africa. The university of the witwatersrand the role of trade unions in job.
The south african trade union movement represents a source of inspiration to organized labour worldwide, but has faced many challenges over the. Firestone agricultural workers union of liberia fawul members, liberia. Tafricarade unionism and politics in south africa presents some due to south africa s particularities historical, social, political, legal and economic contexts. The unions need to work towards realizing a stateless, classless, selfmanaged society without hierarchy, based on political pluralism and freedom. Aug 16, 2016 below is an excerpt from luke sinwell and siphiwe mbathas new book, the spirit of marikana. More than 4 million workers throughout south africa strike from work. In east africa, asian workers, especially indian employees of the railways, set an example for african workers. Sabinet factors that have an impact on the future of trade. In a number of transitional economies, such as brazil, south africa and south korea, trade unions played a key role in the process leading to democratisation wood, 2002. Yet much of the labour movement internationally is in a state of flux or stagnation and. Gender transformation in the workplace and the role of trade. The university of the witwatersrand the role of trade. In some other countries the unions intermittent strike movements and protests were critical in creating, over time, political space. In particular, it does not include insights from the trade union movement in the frenchspeaking countries of west and central.
From the beginning unions could be viewed as a reflection of the racial disunity of the. Second, south african trade unionism the most developed is on the african continent. A labour law perspective by makwena ernest manamela submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of doctor of laws at the university of south africa supervisor. Jun 11, 2017 among south africas distinctive features is the largest union movement in africa as a proportion of the waged population, itself a reflection of another distinction, the countrys largely proletarian population and capitalist order.
The communist party of south africa cpsa played an important role in building the trade union movement in the 1940s. In particular, it established the congress of noneuropean trade unions cnetu which claimed a membership of 158,000 workers in 119 affiliated trade unions by 1945. Fedusa general secretary dennis george said that, while fedusa respected the constitutional. After all, the international news media portray the subsaharan subcontinent as a terrain of autocratic government and failed states. Labour unions have played an integral role as a voice for social transformation in south africa. The history of the south african trade union movement is one which testifies to a remarkably high rate of involvement and militancy by the black and white female workforce.
South african transport and allied workers union satawu is established. Possible trade union responses to labour market challenges 20 1. Trade unions in south africa by southhow february 22, 2016, 9. As a result, the labour market was characterized by a strong racial division of labour that would persist for decades to come. Trade unions and the need for transformation terry bell writes. The study begins with a historical overview of trade unionism in south africa. Trade unions and the need for transformation terry bell.
National council of trade unions south african organization. In south africa, trade unions for many years not only fought for workers rights within the workplace but also beyond the workplace. A labour law perspective is my own work and that all the. Factors influencing the future existence of trade unions in. The rise of insurgent trade unionism in south africa roar. In south africa, trade unions for many years not only fought for. Wheraas white workingclass women of south africa, like european and counterparts elsewhere are oppressed as workers and as women, the black. Apr 26, 2017 the newly launched trade union grouping in south africa the south african federation of trade unions promises to be a voice for the growing numbers of unorganised and marginalised workers. Sabinet factors that have an impact on the future of. After its launch in 1985, cosatu became an important ally to the udf, linking unions from all over south africa through the core principle of fair working conditions in a democrati. Trade union services and benefits in africa edited by. Moreover, unionisation has been on the decline since the end of the 1970s, again apart from south africa. Trade unions and the workers they represented were key players in the udf.
Other articles where national council of trade unions is discussed. An empirical study was conducted with a purposive, voluntary nonprobability. They must develop modern technology and organising methods like flash mobs. Firestone agricultural workers union of liberia fawul. Get your business to the top of the list for free, contact us for details trade unions. Trade unions started as friendly societies aimed at assisting their members with various matters, including offering financial help for education purposes and also in cases of illnesses. At around 7pm on the eve of the marikana massacre, about 10 to 20 workers held an ad hoc emergency meeting in the dark below the mountain where the. The labour federation is a victim of the impasse in the grand postapartheid south african project read more thuma mina. African trade unionism in south africa leon levy president of the south african congress of trade unions arrested in 196 on charge a of high treason is stillhe standing trial and detained during the i96 state0 of emergency. The transformation of south africas largest union, the national union of. Southern africa more than 40% by international standards. The first unions were reserved for white south africans and defended employment policies based on racial discrimination. The core foundation of collective bargaining legislation in south africa was the industrial. From the beginning unions could be viewed as a reflection of the racial disunity of the country, with the earliest unions being predominantly for white workers.