From Grassroots Democracy to National Mobilization: COSATU as a Model of Social Movement Unionism

Abstract

To understand the development of labor movements like the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), which emerged in South Africa in the 1980s as part of the anti-Apartheid movement struggling for national liberation, we need to go beyond conventional categories of economic and political unionism. 'Social movement unionism' combines conventional institutionalized collective bargaining with modes of collective action typically associated with social movements. Based on the experience of COSATU this article develops a four-stage model, using a political process approach, to explain the origins, emergence and development of social movement unionism under a reformist authoritarian regime. The analysis concludes by considering whether social movement unionism can survive the transition to democracy.

Social Movement Trade Unionism: Case of the Congress of South African Trade Unions

“…This is the premise within which COSATU social movement unionism is analysed. Its focus in both the apartheid and post-apartheid eras challenged mainstream industrial relations and labour movement theories (Hirschsohn 1998).…”

“…It actively sought to avoid political involvement. This union approach has been referred to by other numerous names such as workerism, economistic or business unionism (Hirschsohn 1998). At this time however unions questioned FOSATU's active pursuit of a cordial working relationship with the apartheid political establishment.…”

Is social movement unionism still relevant? The case of the South African federation COSATU

“…However, has this role continued in the years since apartheid? The political alliance with the ANC is only likely to persist if national-level strategic compromises are accepted by grassroots members (Hirschsohn, 1998;Wood, 2001). Similarly, advocacy through effective representation by shop stewards relies on adequate systems for accountability and recall.…”

The challenges and future of trade unionism in Algeria: a lost cause?

“…In the past, a number of researchers studied employment relations in Africa (see Buhlungu et al, 2008;Etukudo, 1995;Fashoyin and Matanmi, 1996;Goodman, 1969;Hagglund, 1994) and African countries, such as Mozambique (Dibben, 2010;Dibben and Nadin, 2011;Webster et al, 2006a;Webster et al, 2006b), Ghana (Gray, 1980), Kenya (Henley, 1978), Tanzania (Fischer, 2013) Swaziland (Simelane, 2008), Nigeria (Fajana, 2008), Zambia (Fashoyin, 2008), and Namibia (Klerck, 2008). In particular, a considerable body of literature has investigated employment relations and unions in South Africa (see Albertyn and Rycroft, 1995;Anstey, 1993;Buhlungu, 2009;Butcher and Rouse, 2001;Dibben et al, 2012;Hirschsohn, 1998Hirschsohn, , 2007Maller, 1994;Von Holdt, 2002;Von Holdt and Webster, 2008;Wood, 2002;Wood and Dibben, 2008;Wood and Glaister, 2008). However, little research has been carried out on trade union activities in north Africa in general or Algeria in particular, apart from the studies by Branine and colleagues (Branine, 1994(Branine, , 2002Branine et al, 2008).…”