New Transport super union is born

A NEW super union called the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) was formed last month.
The new union, which consists of 150 000 members, is the result of a merger between two Cosatu transport industry affiliates - the South African and Railways and Harbour Workers Union (Sarhwu) and the Transport and General Workers Union (T&GWU).
This is the second super union to be formed.
The first was the Chemppwawu super union with 120 000 members which was formed from a merger of the Chemical Industrial Workers Union and the Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union. This has already been formed and will be officially launched in Johannesburg this month.
The establishment of these merged, super unions along broadly defined sectors could see the number of Cosatu affiliate unions scaled down from 19 to six or seven.
The primary aims of the new super unions are the peaceful resolution of conflicts originating from the poaching of members by unions working within the same industrial sector, improving services to members and collective bargaining.
The National Union of Mineworkers with 350 000 members and the National Union of Metal workers of South Africa with 250 000 members are not expected to be absorbed as they are too large.
By Anna Cox