The Amalgamated Engineering Union of South Africa (AEU) was a trade union representing white manufacturing workers in South Africa.

The British Amalgamated Society of Engineers established its first branch in South Africa in 1886, and in 1893 its South Africa branches became a distinct section of the union.[1] It remained affiliated to its British parent as it became part of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, but while the British union began accepting all workers, regardless of perceived skill level, the South African section remained a craft union of higher-paid workers.[2]

In 1957, the union became independent.[1] At the time, it was affiliated to the Trade Union Council of South Africa, but it objected when that federation began accepting unions of black workers, and left in 1965.[3] In 1976, the union formed the South African Central Labour Organisation with the South African Footplate Staff Association, but it proved unsuccessful, and dissolved in 1982. By 1980, it had a membership of 34,065.[1]

In 1982, the union was expelled from the International Metalworkers' Federation on the request of the Federation of South African Trade Unions, for complying with apartheid.[4] By 1995, it was down to 20,000 members,[5] on 1 August, it merged with the Engineering, Industrial and Mining Workers' Union, the Iron Moulders' Society of South Africa, and the South African Boilermakers' Society, to form the National Employees' Trade Union.[6][7]

Presidents

1949: Ray Budd
1974: J. E. Faure
1980s: A. T. Allen

References

  1. 1 2 3 Miller, Shirley (1982). Trade Unions in South Africa 1970-1980: a directory and statistics. Cape Town: Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit. p. 126. ISBN 0799204692.
  2. ↑ Lewis, Jon (1984). Industrialisation and Trade Union Organization in South Africa, 1924-1955. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521263122.
  3. ↑ "Trade Union Council of South Africa (TUCSA)". South African History Online. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Forrest, Karen Anne (2005). POWER, INDEPENDENCE AND WORKER DEMOCRACY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF METALWORKERS OF SOUTH AFRICA (NUMSA) AND ITS PREDECESSORS: 1980 – 1995 (PDF). Johannesburg: University of the Witwatersrand. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  5. ↑ Macun, Ian (1995). Growth, Structure and Power in the South African Union Movement. Johannesburg: University of Witwatersrand.
  6. ↑ Finnemore, Martheanne (1997). Introduction to labour relations in South Africa. Butterworths. ISBN 9780409027969.
  7. ↑ Steenkamp, C. L. (2004). THE RESTRUCTURING PROCESS OF THE SAMANCOR MANGANESE MINES (MAY 2000 -JUNE 2001). Potchefstroom: North West University.
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