National Council of Trade Unions

The National Council of Trade Unions (NACTU) is a national trade union center in South Africa.

History The federation was formed by the merger of the Council of Unions of South Africa (CUSA) and the Azanian Confederation of Trade Unions (AZACTU) in 1986. In its early years, the federation was strongly influenced by the black consciousness movement, but was divided in its attitude to the African National Congress.

In 1994, the federation affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the first post-apartheid South African union to do so, and it remains affiliated to its successor, the International Trade Union Confederation. In 2006, the federation began negotiating a merger with the rival Federation of Unions of South Africa. They formed an umbrella organisation, the South African Confederation of Trade Unions, in 2007, but it achieved little, and the two federations remained independent.

In 2001, the newly founded Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) affiliated to NACTU, soon becoming its largest member. AMCU argued that unions should remain independent of political parties, which caused tensions in 2014, when NACTU endorsed the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. AMCU resigned in 2017, but the federation's total membership figure of 400,000 has not been updated. Much of its membership is low paid, and it is particularly strong in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Affiliates Current affiliates The NACTU has 20 affiliated unions.

Union Abbreviation Founded Membership (2011) Banking, Insurance, Finance and Allied Workers' Union BIFAWU 2009 Building, Construction and Allied Workers' Union BCAWU 1975 47,000 Entertainment Catering Commercial and Allied' Workers Union Of South Africa ECCAWUSA 1989 Federal Council of Retail and Allied Workers FEDCRAW 1984 4,829 HOTELICCA HOTELICCA 1978 6,098 Industrial, Commercial and Allied Workers' Union ICAWU 3,213 Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union of South Africa ICU Inqubela Phambili Trade Union ITU Labour Equity General Workers' Union of South Africa LEWUSA 2002 Metal and Electrical Workers' Union of South Africa MEWUSA 1961 17,180 Media Workers' Association of South Africa MWASA 1973 2,347 National Public Service Workers' Union NUPSWU 1998 7,142 National Security, Commercial and General Workers' Union NASECGWU National Services and Allied Workers' Union NASAWU 1993 National Union of Food, Beverage, Wine, Spirit and Allied Workers NUFBWSAW 1993 10,214 Professional Educators' Union PEU 1919 15,780 South African Chemical Workers' Union SACWU 1980 16,055 South African Private Security Workers' Union SAPSWU 2002 Transport and Allied Workers' Union TAWU 1972 13,085 Transport and Omnibus Workers' Union TOWU 1989 2,580

Former affiliates Union Abbreviation Founded Left Reason not affiliated Membership (1988) Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union AMCU 2001 2018 Disaffiliated N/A Black Allied Mining and Construction Workers' Union BAMCWU 1990 Expelled 4,119 Black Domestic Workers' Union BDWU 1985 300 Black Electronic and Electrical Workers' Union BEEWU 1989 Merged into MEWUSA 520 Black Trade Union of Transnet Workers BLATU 1981 1998 Merged into SARWHU Black University Workers' Association BUWA 1972 1992 Merged into MESHAWU Brushes and Cleaners Workers' Union BCWU 1982 1993 Merged into NASAWU 3,000 Domestic Workers' Association of South Africa DWASA 1974 3,000 Engineering and Allied Workers' Union of South Africa EAWUSA 1963 1989 Merged into MEWUSA 3,000 Electrical and Allied Workers' Trade Union of South Africa EAWTUSA 1987 1989 Merged into MEWUSA 15,000 Federated Mining Union FMU 3,100Figure is for 1987. Federation of Municipality, Health and Allied Workers FEDMAWU 1992 Merged into MESHAWU Food and Beverage Workers' Union FBAWU 1979 1993 Merged into NUFBWSAW 17,000 Municipality, Education, State, Health And Allied Workers Union MESHAWU 1992 N/A Natal Liquor and Catering Workers' Union NLCWU 1928 Transferred to FEDUSA 6,737 National Clothing and Textile Workers' Union of South Africa NACTWUSA 2001 N/A National Transport Movement NTM 2012 2017 Transferred to SAFTU N/A National Union of Farm Workers NUF 418 National Union of Furniture and Allied Workers NUFAW 1956 Dissolved 20,000 National Union of Wine, Spirits and Allied Workers NUWASW 1978 1993 Merged into NUFBWSAW 4,881 Parliamentary Staff Union PSU South African Laundry, Dry Cleaning and Dyeing Workers' Union SALDCDWU 1972 1993 Merged into NASAWU 500 South African Health and Allied Workers' Union SAHAWU Steel, Engineering and Allied Workers' Union SEAWU 1979 5,500 Textile Workers' Union TWU 1973 1990 Expelled 400 United African Motor and Allied Workers' Union UAMAWU 1980 1989 Merged into MEWUSA 8,000 Vukani Black Guards and Allied Workers' Union VBGAWU 1981 1993 Merged into NASAWU 2,000

General Secretaries 1986: Phiroshaw Camay 1989: Cunningham Ngcukana 2004: Mahlomola Skosana 2000s: Manene Samela 2010s to 2021: Narius Moloto

See also

Trade unions in South Africa

References

External links