The Construction and Allied Workers' Union (CAWU) was a

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...

representing building workers in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

. The union was founded on 31 January 1987, when the Brick, Clay and Allied Workers' Union merged with relevant sections of six other unions: *

General and Allied Workers' Union The General and Allied Workers' Union (GAWU) was a general union in South Africa. Background The union originated as the Transvaal section of the Black Allied Workers' Union. In 1980, Rita Ndzanga and Mary Ntsike led a split which became GAWU. ...

* General Workers' Union *

General Workers' Union of South Africa The General Workers' Union of South Africa (GWUSA) was a general union in South Africa. The union's origins lay in the split of the Port Elizabeth-based Motor Assemblers' and Component Workers' Union from the United Union of Automobile, Rubber an ...

Metal and Allied Workers' Union The Metal and Allied Workers' Union (MAWU) was a trade union representing workers in metalworking, engineering and related industries in South Africa. The union was founded in April 1974 in Pietermaritzburg, with the assistance of the General Fa ...

South African Allied Workers' Union The South African Allied Workers' Union (SAAWU) was a general union in South Africa. The union was founded in 1978 as a split from the Black Allied Workers' Union by workers in Durban. It described itself as a federation, with a union in each i ...

Transport and General Workers' Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...

Like all its predecessors, the union affiliated to the

Congress of South African Trade Unions The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the largest of the country's three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions.One Union expelled, ...

. The union's first general secretary was Desmond Mahasha, and its first president was David Ngcobo. In later years, M. Oliphant became general secretary, and Fred Gona became president. In 2001, the union merged into the National Union of Mineworkers.{{cite news , title=Size counts , url=https://mg.co.za/article/2001-01-12-size-counts/ , access-date=14 March 2021 , work=Mail & Guardian , date=12 January 2001

References

Building and construction trade unions Trade unions established in 1987 Trade unions disestablished in 2001 Trade unions in South Africa