Before 1975, while under
Portuguese rule, Trade unions in Angola existed primarily as "occupational syndicates" - operating welfare services, but banned from collective bargaining and strike action.
Independent African
trade union
A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
s were illegal, however, some underground or exiled unions existed, and were involved in the struggle for
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
n independence.
When the
Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) came to power in 1975 the
National Union of Angolan Workers (UNTA) became the sole
national trade union centre
Organizers within trade unions have sought to increase the bargaining power of workers in regards to collective bargaining by acting in collaboration with other trade unions. Multi-union organizing can take place on an informal basis, or on a ...
. There is now an independent trade union centre as well, the
General Centre of Independent and Free Unions of Angola
The General Centre of Independent and Free Unions of Angola (CGSILA) is a national trade union centre of Angola. With a membership of 50,000, it is led by Manuel Maria Difuila as President.
References
*
External links
www.icftu.orgentry in IT ...
.
Trade union membership in Angola is limited both by the small formal economy, and the high unemployment rate within the sector. The Government of Angola is the largest employer within the country, and wages within the government are set yearly, with consultation from unions, but without direct negotiations.
References
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