Looking back at VW to honour German/South African union solidarity
This year the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) celebrates its 20th anniversary. In celebrating its history it …
In the past
Leadership of a Special Type: NUM at Vaal Reefs
In the previous two Bulletins Dunbar Moodie described how ungovernability swept through Vaal Reefs shafts 8 and 9 with the …
Labour history revival: Learning from the past
Labour history in the 1990s suffered a decline. But according to Nicole Ulrich and Lucien van der Walt this is …
Kronstadt Rebellion 90 Years On: Reasserting Democracy from Below
A number of Left groupings recently came together and formed the Democratic Left Front, which espouses a democracy from below. …
Journey of the sweet penny whistle
The sound of the penny whistle, or kwela, still rings in people’s ears years after its rapid rise in popularity …
Japanese history a trade union issues
Over 5500 trade unionists, anti-war and political activists rallied in Tokyo in November last year to demand an end to …
Jazz and Robbie Jansen: Freedom and Unforgettables
Only Jansen silenced the vuvuzelas at concerts in the Western Cape during the World Cup. Here we publish some moving …
International Support to Teachers: Uplifting and Surprising Results
In the 1980s both international teachers’ organisations in competition with each other worked hard to bring about the unity of …
History Distorted: Anti-Apartheid Movement and Swedish Union Solidarity
It is common for the vital contribution of trade unions in ending apartheid to be forgotten these days. Jonas Sjölander …
History of worker choirs
Although worker choirs were part of the trade union movement’s struggle against apartheid they found themselves in a new terrain …