| Abstract: |
Founded in 1937, the South African Tin Workers' Union (SATWU) was registered in 1939 under the Industrial Conciliation Act and organised mainly by Coloured and Indian workers. During the 1946 Passive Resistance Campaign launched by the South African Indian Congress, leading unionists from SATWU served terms of imprisonment. During the 1950s, Ray Alexander, Gus Coe and Ismail Bhoola, the secretaries of the Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg branches respectively, were banned under the Suppression of Communism Act. Also, under this Act, in July 1953, S.V. Reddy, the General Secretary, was banned from attending all gatherings and was forced to resign from the Union. He was succeeded by Billy Nair as secretary of the Union. During the State of Emergency in 1960, when many trade unionists were detained, SATWU managed to negotiate two wage increases for its members. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s SATWU strove to improve the working conditions and wages for those employed in the tin industry. |
