The South African Trades Union Congress (TUC) was a national trade union federation in South Africa.
The council was established in 1924, as the South African Association of Employees' Organisations. It was founded at a special congress, held after the collapse of the South African Industrial Federation, which was called by the Minister of Labour, Frederic Creswell. All the affiliated unions were registered under the Industrial Conciliation Act 1924 and represented white workers. The federation was expected to be very moderate, but unexpectedly elected the leading communist Bill Andrews as its general secretary.Wessel Visser, 'Exporting Trade Unionism and Labour Politics: the British Influence on the early South African Labour Movement', New Contree 49 (2005), 145-62 As president, it elected Jimmy Briggs, a Labour Party Senator.
The unexpected radicalism of the federation led some long-established unions not to affiliate, while the Mine Workers' Union and South African Typographical Union soon resigned their membership. They were replaced by small industrial unions, many open to all workers. The federation also began working closely with the South African Federation of Non-European Trade Unions. In 1930, the federation merged with the Cape Federation of Labour Unions, forming the South African Trades and Labour Council.
Affiliates The federation's founding affiliates were:
Union Abbreviation Founded Membership (1926) Affiliated Plasterers' Trade Union of South Africa 1896 193 Amalgamated Building Trade Union of South Africa ABTU 510 Amalgamated Engineering Union AEU 1893 2,800 Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers ASW 1881 2,600 Baking Employees' Association 330 Building Workers' Industrial Union BWIU 1916 2,000 Johannesburg Tramwaymen's Union 700 Mineral Water Employees' Union Mine Workers' Union MWU 1902 2,500 Natal Mine Workers' Union 1916 300 National Vehicle Builders' Union 250 South African Association of Municipal Employees SAAME 1919 2,700 South African Boilermakers' Society SABS 1916 800 South African Co-ordinated Employees' Association South African Engine Drivers' and Firemen's Association SAED&FA 1894 1,230 South African Reduction Workers' Association SARWA 920 South African Shop Assistants', Warehousemen's, Clerks' and Hairdressers' Association 870 South African Society of Bank Officials SASBO 1916 3,800 South African Typographical Union AATU 1898 3,700 Witwatersrand Tailors' Association 1909 1,000 Women Workers' General Union 1925 N/A
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