Federation of South African Trade Unions

The Federation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU) was a trade union federation in South Africa.

FOSATU
Federation of South African Trade Unions
Merged intoCOSATU
Founded20 April 1979
Dissolved1 December 1985
Location

History

The federation was formed at a congress over the weekend of 14–15 April 1979 in Hammanskraal and officially launched five days later on 20 April.[1][2] Its roots lay in the unions which had emerged from the spontaneous 1973 strike wave by black workers in Durban and Pinetown as part of the "Durban Moment",[3] and which had since been part of the Trade Union Advisory Co-ordinating Council or the Black Consultative Committee.[4]

FOSATU's constitution enshrined the principles of workers' control of their trade unions, non-racialism, worker independence from party politics, international worker solidarity and trade union unity. It strove to build a tight national federation to work towards an industrial workers' bloc firmly based in strong grassroots organisation on the factory floor.[5] It became the first truly national non-racial trade union federation in South African history, building unity and avoiding the regionalism which had pervaded earlier attempts at such an organisation. Its success here has been attributed to the fostering of a national leadership layer of "organic intellectuals" through a strong focus on the political education of shop stewards, and tight integration of the national, provincial and local structures of the organisation.[6]

While the unions affiliated primarily organised black workers, their leadership, and that of FOSATU, was mixed, and included white activists in some prominent positions. As the Government of South Africa legalised multi-racial unions in 1979, FOSATU's affiliates decided to register. However, despite applying for multi-racial status, the government issued six of the unions with certificates which only permitted the organisation of black workers. FOSATU successfully challenged this, and the number of non-black members gradually increased.[7]

FOSATU argued for its affiliates to become industrial unions, merging so that there was only one representing workers in each industry. This led to a number of mergers, most significantly in 1980 when several unions formed the new National Automobile and Allied Workers' Union. By 1983, the federation represented workers at 489 factories, and had a total of 285 agreements with employers.[7]

The federation initially opposed industrial councils, arguing that they moved unions away from plant-based negotiations, and often compelled affiliates to renounce the right to strike. From 1982, it permitted affiliates to join industrial councils, although in some cases they faced strong opposition from rival unions. The right to strike was important, and for example, in 1983, its affiliates took part in 124 work stoppages, more than one-third of the total number of strikes across the country. It also organised consumer boycotts where a major employer would not negotiate, such as at Colgate-Palmolive in 1981.[7]

As part of its commitment to trade union unity, FOSATU was prepared to disband its structures if wider unity could be attained.[3] On 1 December 1985, following four years of unity talks between competing trade union federations, FOSATU upheld this pledge by dissolving into the newly formed Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).[8][9]

Affiliates
Union[10]AbbreviationFoundedLeftReason for leavingMembership (1980)[11]Membership (1983)[12]
Chemical Workers' Industrial UnionCWIU19741985Transferred to COSATU3,0006,260
Eastern Province Sweet, Food and Allied Workers' UnionEPSFAWU19771982Merged into SFAWU200N/A
Engineering and Allied Workers' UnionEAWUSA19631982Expelled3,000N/A
Glass and Allied Workers' UnionGAWU19731983Merged into CWIU1,300N/A
Jewellers' and Goldsmiths' UnionJGU19391985Became independent460476
Metal and Allied Workers' UnionMAWU19731985Transferred to COSATU8,40020,050
Natal Sugar Industry Employees' UnionNSIEU19371984ExpelledN/A1,000
National Automobile and Allied Workers' UnionNAAWU19801985Transferred to COSATUN/A18,390
National Union of Motor Assembly and Rubber Workers of South AfricaNUMARWOSA19671980Merged into NAAWU4,500N/A
National Union of Textile WorkersNUTW19731985Transferred to COSATU8,30013,150
Paper, Wood and Allied Workers' UnionPWAWU19741985Transferred to COSATU3,0005,030
Sweet, Food and Allied Workers' UnionSFAWU19741985Transferred to COSATU2,00010,150
Transport and General Workers' UnionTGWU19731985Transferred to COSATU4,5006,335
United Union of Automobile, Rubber and Allied Workers of South AfricaUAW19731980Merged into NAAWU4,000N/A
Western Province Motor Assembly Workers' UnionWPMAWU19631980Merged into NAAWU1,250N/A

Leadership

General Secretaries
1979: Alec Erwin
1983: Joe Foster

Presidents
1979: John Mke
1982: Chris Dlamini

See also

References
  1. Friedman, Michelle (2010). "The Future is in the Hands of the Workers": A History of FOSATU (PDF). Johannesburg: Mutloatse Heritage Trust. p. 14–18. ISBN 978-09869833-1-3. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  2. South African History Online. "The Federation of South African Trade Unions is founded". www.sahistory.org.za. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  3. Friedman, Michelle (2010). "The Future is in the Hands of the Workers": A History of FOSATU (PDF). Johannesburg: Mutloatse Heritage Trust. p. 18–23. ISBN 978-09869833-1-3. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  4. Ncube, Don (1985). Black trade unions in South Africa. Braamfontein: Skotaville. pp. 109–111. ISBN 0947009051.
  5. Friedman, Michelle (2010). "The Future is in the Hands of the Workers": A History of FOSATU (PDF). Johannesburg: Mutloatse Heritage Trust. p. 34. ISBN 978-09869833-1-3. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  6. Friedman, Michelle (2010). "The Future is in the Hands of the Workers": A History of FOSATU (PDF). Johannesburg: Mutloatse Heritage Trust. p. 14. ISBN 978-09869833-1-3. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  7. Ncube, Don (1985). Black trade unions in South Africa. Braamfontein: Skotaville. pp. 118–130. ISBN 0947009051.
  8. South African History Online. "Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  9. COSATU. "Brief History of COSATU". www.cosatu.org.za. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  10. Kraak, Gerald (1993). Breaking the Chains: Labour in South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s. Pluto Press. ISBN 9780745307053.
  11. Miller, Shirley (1982). Trade Unions in South Africa 1970-1980: a directory and statistics. Cape Town: Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit. ISBN 0799204692.
  12. Ncube, Don (1985). Black trade unions in South Africa. Braamfontein: Skotaville. p. 102. ISBN 0947009051.
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