The Garment Workers' Union of South Africa (GWU) 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 clothing industry in South Africa. The union was founded in 1909, as the Witwatersrand Tailors' Association, and its initial membership was focused on white master tailors and middlemen. In 1925, it established a section to represent factory workers in the industry, and this proved enormously successful; by the end of 1926, it represented 90% of clothing factory workers in the

Witwatersrand The Witwatersrand () (locally the Rand or, less commonly, the Reef) is a , north-facing scarp in South Africa. It consists of a hard, erosion-resistant quartzite metamorphic rock, over which several north-flowing rivers form waterfalls, which ...

region. That year, it also began representing "coloured" and Indian workers. In 1928,

Solly Sachs Emil Solomon “Solly” Sachs (11 November 1900 – 30 July 1976) was a South African trade unionist and an anti-apartheid activist. Early life Solly Sachs was born in 1900 in Kamai, Lithuania to Abraham Saks and Hannah Rivkin. His early childh ...

was elected as the union's general secretary. He focused on recruiting women workers in the industry, and also worked closely with the

African Clothing Workers' Union The African Clothing Workers' Union (ACWU) was a trade union representing workers in the garment industry South Africa. The union was founded in 1928, on the initiative of the South African Communist Party (SACP), and it was a founding affiliate ...

. In 1929, the union voted in a new constitution, which led in 1930 to it renaming itself as the "Garment Workers' Union". The 1931 general strike placed a significant strain on the union, and in 1934 this led the tailors' section to split away, forming the Tailoring Workers' Industrial Union. The

Government of South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a parliamentary republic with three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a parliamentary system. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa. Executive authority ...

banned Sachs from leading a trade union. Although he initially ignored the ban, he later felt compelled to emigrate to England. By 1953, 60% of the union's membership was classed as "coloured", although government legislation required separate branches for white workers. In 1956, the white workers left to form the Garment Trade Union of European Employees. The union worked closely with the

National Union of Clothing Workers The National Union of Clothing Workers (NUCW) was a trade union representing garment workers in South Africa. The union was founded in 1962, when the Garment Workers' Union of African Women merged with the African Clothing Workers' Union. It aff ...

, but legislation prevented the two from merging until 1985, when they formed 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 ...

General Secretaries

:Dan Colraine{{cite book , last1=Sachs , first1=Solly , title=Rebels Daughters , date=1957 , publisher=Macgibbon & Kee , location=Alva :1928:

:1952:

Johanna Cornelius Johanna Catharina Cornelius (27 February 1912 – 21 June 1974) was an Afrikaner activist and trade unionist. She served as the Afrikaner Garment Workers' Union of South Africa (GWU) president after Solly Sachs. Biography Cornelius was born in ...

:1974: B. Krynauw :1981: Athol Margolis

References

Clothing industry trade unions Trade unions established in 1909 Trade unions disestablished in 1985 Trade unions in South Africa