Abstract: | The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) was launched on November 30, 1985, during the state of emergency of July 1985 - March 1986. Consisting of 33 founding affiliates and 650,000 members, it has made a big contribution to the growth of trade unionism. It also has contributed significantly to a qualitative change in the type of trade union organization by building national unions on shop-steward structures, with a democratic tradition based on constant consultation with their membership. This article examines the position of some of the unions affiliated to COSATU, their role in union building, in the struggle to advance and further workers' interest, in union mergers and strikes. Notes, ref. |