The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) is a trade union representing retail, distribution and hospitality workers in South Africa.

History

The union founded in 1975, as the Commercial Catering and Allied Workers' Union (CCAWUSA). The first General Secretary was the union stalwart, Emma Mashinini, and Makhulu Ledwaba was elected as the first President of CCAWUSA. It initially grew strongly, but an unsuccessful strike in 1984 for higher wages in large hotels led most of the hospitality workers leaving, while the small Federal Council of Retail and Allied Workers also split away. In, 1985 it was a founding affiliate of the

Congress of South African Trade Unions The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is 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 ...

(COSATU). Both Mashinini and Ledwaba played an instrumental role in the establishment of COSATU, with Ledwaba elected as 2nd Vice-President of COSATU. COSATU called for "One Industry One Union" and CCAWUSA began merger negotiations with the Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union (HARWU). CCAWUSA became divided on ideological lines, one group close to the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a Social democracy, social-democratic political party in Republic of South Africa, South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when ...

, but in 1990, COSATU negotiated a truce, with HARWU also merging in. The union renamed itself as the "South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers' Union". SACCAWU is an affiliate of COSATU as well as an affiliate of two International Unions, UNI-Global Unions where the General Secretary Bones Skulu serve on the executive as well as serving as President of UN- Africa, and Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco International Network (UIF). SACCAWU has eight regions; Eastern Cape, Free State/Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Northern, North West-Vaal, Western Cape, and Witwatersrand regions.

General Secretaries

:1975: Emma Mashinini :1986: Vivian Mtwa :1991: Papi Kganare :1995: Bones Skulu

Presidents

:1975: Makhulu Ledwabaddd :1988: Duma Nkosi :1990s: Amos Mothapo :2013: Louise Thipe

References

Organisations based in Johannesburg Congress of South African Trade Unions Trade unions established in 1975 Trade unions in South Africa {{SouthAfrica-trade-union-stub