The South African Typographical Union (SATU) 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 of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

representing workers in the printing and media industries in South Africa. The union was founded on 5 January 1898 by six local unions, including the Durban Typographical Society. Many of its founding members were immigrants from the United Kingdom who had held membership of the

London Society of Compositors The London Society of Compositors was a British trade union, representing print workers in London. History The union was founded as the London Union of Compositors in 1834 by the merger of the London Trade Society of Compositors and the Londo ...

(LSC), and the new union's constitution was based on that of the LSC. It published the ''South African Typographical Journal'', which was one of the key cheerleaders for a Labour Party. For many years, its president was Harry Sampson. The union admitted white and "coloured" workers on the same basis, although all non-whites faced prejudice. It did not admit black or Asian workers, and opposed their involvement in the printing industry. It joined the

South African Trades and Labour Council The South African Trades and Labour Council (SAT&LC) was a national trade union federation in South Africa. History The federation was founded in 1930, when the South African Trades Union Council merged with the Cape Federation of Labour Unions. ...

, then became a leading figure in the 1951 split which formed the

South African Federation of Trade Unions The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) is a trade union federation 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 s ...

, before joining the

Trade Union Council of South Africa The Trade Union Council of South Africa (TUCSA) was a national trade union federation in South Africa. History The council was founded in October 1954 by 61 unions which split from the South African Trades and Labour Council. They decided that on ...

. In 1980, it finally began accepting black workers, and its membership increased to 26,818. It is currently affiliated to the Federation of Unions of South Africa.

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{{Trade unions in South Africa navbox Printing trade unions Trade unions established in 1898 Trade unions in South Africa

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