| | In April 1982 workers from across South Africa met at the congress of the non-racial trade union movement, the Federation of South African Trade Unions, Fosatu. The federation was just three years old, but in that time it had grown five fold, from around 20,000 workers to over 100,000 (Baskin, 1991:25, 29). What they heard was a speech that must rank as one of the most important statements of principle ever delivered to a South African labour movement. Although the Fosatu general secretary, Joe Foster read it, the speech reflected the work of many people. Its authors have never been revealed, but the hand of Alec Erwin - Fosatu's first general secretary, and currently South Africa's Minister of Trade and Industry - was almost certainly among them. |
