Trade unions in Saint Helena emerged in the late 1950s in the
flax industry and subsequently played a prominent role in the island's democratisation in the 1960s. The Saint Helena General Workers Union was the island's sole
trade union throughout the latter half of the 20th century. In the 21st century, workers are mostly organised in the public sector in staff associations for nurses, teachers and public servants.
History
In June 1958 the
British Labour Party
The Labour Party is a List of political parties in the United Kingdom, political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of Social democracy, social democrats, Democratic socialism, democratic socialists and trade u ...
member of parliament,
Cledwyn Hughes, visited the island and later reported to the
Colonial Office that workers were living in "appalling poverty." At a public meeting during the visit, discussion ensued on the need for a trade union. The Saint Helena General Workers Union was established on 23 July 1958 and on 22 September 1958 a strike launched at the
Sandy Bay flax mill.
From 2000
In 2001, the Saint Helena General Workers Union was estimated to have 700 members.
In 2013, during the construction of the
Saint Helena Airport
Saint Helena Airport is an international airport on Saint Helena, a remote island in the south Atlantic Ocean, in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha.
The construction of the runway was finishe ...
, workers went on
strike over employment terms and conditions; it was reported as the first
industrial action
Industrial action (British English) or job action (American English) is a temporary show of dissatisfaction by employees—especially a strike action, strike or slowdown or working to rule—to protest against bad working conditions or low pay a ...
on the island in half a century.
References
{{Africa in topic, Trade unions in, state=collapsed
Economy of Saint Helena
Politics of Saint Helena