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The Congress of South African Trade Unions is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the largest of the country's three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions.
Zwelinzima Vavi is the former general secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), and vice-chairperson of the Millennium Labour Council.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is the biggest single trade union in South Africa with more than 338,000 members, and prior to its expulsion on 8 November 2014, the largest affiliate of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the country's largest trade union federation.
The Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) is a trade union representing workers in the food processing industry in South Africa.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is a mainly mining industry related trade union, an organisation of workers with common goals through organised labour, in South Africa. With a membership of 300,000 as of 2014, it is the largest affiliate of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).
Trade unions in South Africa has a history dating back to the 1880s. 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. Through the turbulent years of 1948–1991 trade unions played an important part in developing political and economic resistance, and eventually were one of the driving forces in realising the transition to an inclusive democratic government.
The Workers and Socialist Party (WASP) is a Marxist and Trotskyist political party in South Africa affiliated to International Socialist Alternative.
Irvin Jim is a South African trade union leader.
Zingiswa Phyllis Losi is a South African politician and trade unionist who is currently serving as the president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) since September 2018. She was formerly Cosatu's second deputy president from 2009 to 2018. She is a member of the Central Committee of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and a former member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC).
The United Front was formally launched in South Africa in 2015, following a preparatory activities in 2014, including a summit in November of 350 delegates representing labour unions, social movements and popular organisations, faith-based organisations, NGOs and anti-capitalist formations. It was launched with the support of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), which severed ties with the African National Congress and South African Communist Party at its December 2013 congress and to foster left-wing alternatives. While NUMSA defined itself as Marxist-Leninist, it envisaged the United Front as open to a range of forces, and as distinct from NUMSA itself. Significant differences of opinion emerged in the United Front from an early stage. The United Front effectively supplanted the Democratic Left Front, a smaller formation which had been established in 2011, itself founded following the collapse of the Anti-Privatisation Forum. Given the connection to NUMSA, both the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) which had expelled NUMSA, and the South African Communist Party, remained outside the United Front, the party proposing an alternative "left popular front" (LPF).
The Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP) is a Marxist-Leninist communist party in South Africa. The party was founded in March 2019 after a pre-launch convention at the end of 2018.
The Sweet, Food and Allied Workers' Union (SFAWU) was a trade union representing food processing workers in South Africa.
The General and Allied Workers' Union (GAWU) was a general union in South Africa.
The Council of Unions of South Africa (CUSA) was a national trade union federation in South Africa.
The Cape Town Municipal Workers' Association (CTMWA) was a trade union representing local government workers in Cape Town, South Africa.
The Municipal Workers' Union of South Africa (MWUSA) was a trade union representing local government workers in South Africa.
The United Workers' Union of South Africa (UWUSA) was a general union in South Africa.
The 2021 South African metalworkers strike was a workers strike among metalworkers in South Africa represented by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the Metal and Electrical Workers' Union of South Africa (MEWUSA). Beginning October 5, 2021, workers represented by NUMSA have been on strike demanding higher pay, specifically requesting an 8% across-the-board wage rise in the first year, and inflation plus 2% for the second and third years. The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA), an industry association, had offered 4.4% for 2021, inflation plus 0.5% in 2022 and inflation plus 1% in the third year, which was rejected by NUMSA. On October 21, 2021, NUMSA and SEIFSA agreed to a 6% annual increase for lower-paid employees, and a 5-5.5% increase for higher paid employees. The strike impacted mining, construction, engineering and metallurgical businesses throughout the country, with BMW's production in the country particularly impacted. A representative from SEIFSA suggested that the strike cost businesses a total of 600 million South African rand, and resulted in 300 million rand of lost pay for workers.
Msokoli Frans Baleni is a South African businessman and former trade unionist who was general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers between 2006 and 2015. Since 2007, he has been a member of the Central Committee of the South African Communist Party.
Vincent Mabuyakhulu was a South African politician and trade unionist from KwaZulu-Natal. He was Vice President of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), one of the largest affiliates of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu). Later, he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from May 2004 until his death in July 2006.
References
- ↑ Dludla, Siphelele (28 January 2019). "Limusa co-founder Cedric Gina dies". Independent Online. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ↑ "Cosatu membership down by thousands". News24. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ↑ "Metalworkers' union Limusa and miners' union NUM to merge in bid by Cosatu to strengthen them". The Star. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ↑ Sidimba, Loyiso. "Cosatu affiliates Limusa, NUM merge". IOL. Retrieved 27 May 2023.