The Textile Workers' Industrial Union (TWIU) 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 workers in the textile industry in

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

. The union was founded in 1935 and affiliated to 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. ...

. It was unusual in that it admitted both black and white workers, and in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

and

Harrismith Harrismith is a large town in the Free State province of South Africa. It was named for Sir Harry Smith, a 19th-century British governor and high commissioner of the Cape Colony. It is situated by the Wilge River, alongside the N3 highway, abo ...

, they formed part of the same branches. This position was championed by the union's general secretary, Roy du Preez. In 1942, it helped reorganise the

African Laundry Workers' Union The African Laundry Workers' Union was a trade union representing cleaning workers in South Africa. The union was founded in 1927, on the initiative of the South African Communist Party (SACP), and it was a founding affiliate of the Federation of ...

. In 1950, the union was banned from representing both black and white workers, and so it formed the African Textile Workers' Industrial Union to represent black workers. In 1954, its white members split away to form a racial union. The surviving union affiliated to 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 1987, it merged with the

National Union of Textile Workers The National Union of Textile Workers was a trade union representing workers in the textile industry in England, principally in Yorkshire. History The union was founded in 1922 when the General Union of Textile Workers merged with the Natio ...

and the

National Union of Garment Workers The National Union of Garment Workers (NUGW) was a trade union representing clothing workers in South Africa. The union was established in 1985, when the Garment Workers' Union of South Africa (GWUSA) merged with the National Union of Clothing Wo ...

, to form the

Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union of South Africa The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union of South Africa (ACTWUSA) was a trade union representing workers in the garment and fabric industries in South Africa. The union was founded in 1987, when the National Union of Textile Workers m ...

.{{cite web , title=A brief history of SACTWU , url=https://www.sactwulifehistory.com/union-history , website=SACTWU , access-date=4 March 2021

References

Textile and clothing trade unions Trade unions established in 1935 Trade unions disestablished in 1987 Trade unions in South Africa History of the textile industry