AT A MASS rally in Durban last weekend South Africa's largest independent trade union federation was launched. The federation which together all the chief independent unions and federations over half a million, mainly black, members. This in and of itself is a tremendous achievement Even more significant was the use of the launch of the federation by its leaders to throw down the gauntlet to Botha on the Pass Laws. He has six months to abolish them or the new federation will lead a campaign of mass civil disobedience against them.
This decision, announced by the federation's president Elijah Barayi, vice president miners' union, marked the decision that the unions will play an active and leading role struggle against apartheid such, and not confine itself to the so-called 'bread and butter' issues of wages, hours and conditions.
The new federation, the Congress of South Trade Unions, will need massive support and solidarity British labour movement. On this Jare we •aIC reproducing Labour Party's position on links with the unions. This should be acted on now.
THE 1970s saw a major change in the South African political economy. The decade witnessed the development of a rapidly expanding, (but African) trade union movement. the movement, although viewed considerable suspicion and on occasions viciously attacked, now appears to have established itself as a permanent feature of the South scene.
At the 1981 Labour Party Conference a resolution was unanimously adopted calling '. for the Party, working with our trade union colleagues, to provide assistance and training to the racial trade union movement in South Africa.
We must work towards finding the most appropriate way plementing this resolution.
The first task Is those trade unions that can genuinely be considered to be 'indenendent and non-racial' from those that The unions affiliated to the South African Confederation of organising white workers in openly racist unions, clearly fails to these criteria.
Unions affiliated to the Trade Council of South organising some Asian and Coloured workers as well as over 20,000 African workers, also cannot be accepted. Since its foundation in 1954 TUCSA has vacillated over the ordarisalon of workers. TUCSA first Alrican workers, ten admittea tem (1963), then finally expelled them (1969). In 1974, with the growth of African trade unions, TUCSA allowed Africans to affiliate, but generally organised them in exclusively African trade unions, in parallel to existing TUCSA unions. TUCSA's changing stance should be seen as the result of the growth and militancy of the independent non-racial which threatened TUCSA's credibiliLy as a major trade union federation.
TUCSA's African highly bureaucratic, relying organisationally on their parent unions for finance and general secretaries of the brings - has within the in the as named African from the the For these I casulls. well organised be calliol noted they with brought into dependent African The attitude of the floor democracy is non-existent.
nondustry. To meant that they Coloured and of imto distinguish the Federation are not.
meel becomes a significant trend.
The non-racial unions Africa. characterised 170,000 addition, CACa excluded Issues such as rents and munity.
During workers in • trade unions, August 1981 continuing There are a Many parallel unions are also the general secretaries those of the registered parent trade unions.
TUCSA
considered 'independent'. In addition it must be frequently firm with the operation of management to head off a recruitment drive by one of the inunions. : parent. unions to the unionisation of African workers is one of paternalism and their commitLalll ment to workers' éducation and shopThe remaining unions can generally be described as non-racial, since they organise all workers in an indate this has generally unionise African, workers, but them? their constitutions are non-racial, and once white workers are willing to join the unions they will be welcomed into membership. One union affiliated to South Unions (FOSATU) recently made something of a breakthrough in recruiting some white workers into membership at a car plant, but clearly there is a long way to go before this are also by a commitment to democracy so that the membership have a direct say in the policies and practices of their union.
bunit CUtsiderable links with other community Dascu Organisalons, co-operaling on bus fares, South while in return receiving support for state. their industrial action from the comPerhaps most importantly, these unions are increasingly taking united range the DrOLeStS followed the death in detention of the trade unionist Neil Aggett, the unions co-operated to bring out 100,000 La protest stoppage. In and April 1982 the unions met at a 'summit' to thrash out a common policy for the non-racial union movement a process which is rapidly growing number of trade unions, but the best known and most representative are groups around FOSATU CUSA (the Council of Unions of South Africa) and unaffiliated unions such as the General Workers Union, the South African Allied Workers Union and the Food and Canning Workers Union.
it there is anv doubt over the status of a union there should be consultations with the ICFTU, or the appropriate Secretariat. These bodies are in conswith the non-racial unions and well able to advise on the policies and problems of the unions.
If these are the unions that we can support (and the list is not exhaustive) and the criteria by which we can judge them (non-racial, independent), what kind of solidarity can we have with Forms of Solidarity 1. Solidarity Action in Britain THE British labour movement has a long history of campaigning against repression characterises apartheid. The movement supports United Nations sanctions against South Africa and unilateral steps reduce economic links between Britain and South Africa, as well as the development of a strong non-racial trade union movement in South Africa.
British unions can and do play a valuable role in assisting the non-racial unions in their struggles with African management and the i. South African trade unionists not infrequently fall foul of the regime's repressive laws. There are a of measures including pickets, publicity, messages of support etc - that can be taken in order to bring pressure to bear on the South African unionists' release ii. The hand of workers in disputes in South African subsidiaries of British companies can substantially strengthened if British unions take action on their behalf. In the last few years, several examples of such action have taken place. For instance, 1981, at the request of the ICFTU and after shop-floor British Leyland plant at Cowley, Alex Kitson and Terry Duffy of TGWU and AUEW respectively BL management strike at the BL plant in Cape Town.
The intervention was successful. and subsequently many of the Cape Town workers WelC Plant 2. Material Assistance FINANCIAL and material assistance have been supplied to the non-racial trade unions by the ICTFU, the TUC and a number of International Trade Secretariats for a number of years. The form that such assistance should take can best be determined in consultation with the independent and non-racial unions, but the following forms, or assistance may oc appropriale a. financial assistance for trade union education in South Africa; b. scholarships trade unionists; c. collections for and for the families of jailed or victimised workers d. subsidies for salaries of organisers and for office and transport equipment.
The ban on FOSATU receiving such funds has ficulties but these have not generally proved to be insuperable, with the in ternational labour movement porting a wide range of educational and organisational projects in South Africa.
3. Visits to Britain AN increasing number of non-racial umon representalives are visiling bIl attend meetings trade union colleagues in this coun try. While contacts with racist trade unionists ascouragea, conlacts will represell tatives of the non-racial trade union movement assist in the establishment of a real rapport between unions These contacts have proved invaluable during solidarity must be based on an indenth knowlege of the organisations and personalities involved 4. Visits to South Africa AS THE independent and non-racial unions have grown in strength they? have come increasingly to value their links with the international labour Many tatives travel number of British unions have receivtrom African counterparts. non-racial unions in disputes have at times felt that a visit by members of meetings at the tatives. met senior in order put the company during a re-employed at shop Lone stewards Europe.
tober 1981).
for South African workers on strike Africa; ii. emphasis caused some ditAfrica;
, supAfrica of be Course consultations disputes when race mon Federation Unions represenoverseas and a their South Unions In particular, same time it must be occasion, South Africa. Certainly WE should involve not only top officials, but also plant-based worker represen'The aim of these visits should be to strengthen fraternal ties between organised workers in ditterent counc tries and to carry forward the struggle for workers in South Africa to win the same rights as have been won by workers in other countries.
'Several visits to and from our unions have already taken place with stewards and union officials from Europe visiting unions and facshop officials our unions travelling to the USA This contact has been valuable and will be encouraged in the future, provided it takes place in ac cordance with the above principle and guidelines' (Press Release, 22 Oc These guidelines can be elaborated upon by suggesting that: i. visits should only take place at the request of and according to a schedule drawn up in co-operation between British unions and the independent and non-racial trade unions in South should be given company-based contacts, i.e. the ex by representatives working for the same parent company in Britain and South ili. British unions should specifically refrain from going on visits to South organised by the South African government (or its front line organisations) or by companies with interests in South Africa;
Great care should be taken in making any statement to the media. concerning the visit.
If these guidelines are followed, visits to South Africa can be undertaken and the solidarity so vital to the international labour movement can be strengthened.
Note: In drawing up this document were held with the following organisations:
. Confederation of Free Trades Union Congress International Metalworkers Federa International Transport Workers International Union of Food and Allied Workers Associations South African Congress of Trade African National Congress Anti-Apartheid Movement Council of Unions of South Africa Federation of South African Trade SUPPORT DISMISSED