La bit', the South Transport Services (SATS) finally backed down on Wednesday 3 SATS management contacted the union's solicitors with an offer With the union's entire prison, the solicitors had to go to the jails to consult over the company's approach. They were given the go-ahead to pursue regotiations and clinch the deal.
The company's climb the approach of the Soweto youth uprising of 976. SATS and the apartheid regime - with which the transport system is so intertwined knew that the bitter struggle by would Por wide ranging action bas wide-ranging action by the community trade union movement.
Indeed, the strike has In the final weeks of the determina. tion of the workers in the Transvaal Wak other workers further afield to join in the strug They saw that decades of racist treatment at the employers in South Africa where even . the limited 1970 labour reforms didn't apply be challenged The spectre of a national dispute was becoming a serious possibility. A nanonal ran surike was a disastrous prospect for the South African employers given the strategic importance of the rai network to South African industry Additionally, unlike railway system is also vital other country, numbers of workers forc to live miles away from live miles away their place of work.
The rail workers' strike wage black postal workers had brought 7000 out on strike.
These workers closely identified WILE . railworkers action, seeing SARHWU as sister union in the light of the common state ownership and close state control of the two industries. The SUERSUC the postal workers at point forced the government to release two union leaders from prison before the would start negotiations.
These workers' actions the face of formidable state. In 60,000 engineering workers staged three stoppages to protest the imprisonment of their general secrete of Moses Mayekiso, five people on trial for treason. the regime had to take into account was the developments within the community. Community support for SARHWU was overwhelming. Workers in the townships knew of the suffering faced by migrant railworkers whose wages have to sun port ten other members of their families left to fight for their existence in the barren bantustans.
Additionally, they had direct experience the repression meted out against strikers, armed state forces moved into railway on to the trains, manhandling carrying out arbitrary earches of the carriages. The community organisa. tions were more and more loudly demanding action from SATS Women have been playing particularly decisive role in the compowertul impetus to these struggles will lead to droves of workers fiocking to join the union, which Wak experience substantial growth during the strike itself. The entire union has been strengthened.
But the victory will not mean an end to attacks by SATS Although SARHWU has won thousands of united around , principle of 'an injury one is an injury to all', the union hasn't •even got a roof over its head.
All the materials needed to rapidly consolidate the victory was lost in the House Some of the • union's leaders remain in prison or detained. Continuing solidarity by the British labour movement, especially by railworkers in this country, will be very important in the coming : A CONSISTENT demand of SARHWU was for the release from detention and prison of all railway workers. These include the secretary, Ntai Sello, its president, Justice Langa, its national organiser, Mike Roussos, and the entire 33-strong negotiating committee.
Although not part of the final agreement, SARHWI was given significant advances on this front in the light of the settlement. The subsequent release of Many workers snows this judgement to be this judgement to be correct, though the union will be engaged in a continued campaign for the release of all detained and imprisoner members. International solidarity will be very important in supporting these campaigns. • Emergency letters and telegrams demanding the release of detained SARHWU members should be sent to PW Botha, Buildings Pretora 0001 South Africa, and to the ambassador, South Africa House, Trafalgai Square, , London WC Copies should be send to SACTU, Archway Close, London 8 Flowers Mews, NI9 3TB
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