By Charlie van Gelderen WHILE the attention of the world has, understandably, been fixed on the historic political transformation in South Africa, the trade union movement has been girding itself for the struggles which still lie ahead in the industrial field.
At a meeting of the full executives of the three most important trade union federations - Cosatu, the Federation of South African Labour (Fedsal) and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) - on April 15, a broad consensus was reached on the national priorities and policies of the labour movement.
The meeting also took imThe latest in Nigeria's succession of military leaders General Sani Abacha attended Mandela's accession to AUGUST 14 marks the 25th anniversary of I the re deployment of British troops onto the streets of the North of Ireland. 25 years of bloodshed, repression, division and grief.
On August 13 people in Britain will demonstrate for British withdrawal from Ireland and the right of the Irish people to Assemble at Kennington Park (Oval tubo)
The march organisers (Troops Out portant steps towards trade un1on unity.
Co-operation between Cosatu and Fedsal began during the. campaign against VAT. The setting up of the National Economic Forum and the restructuring of the National Manpower Commission drove home the need for progressive sections of the movement to have common positions on a range of crucial economic and labour issues, such as the fight against lock-outs, centralised collective bargaining and GATT negotiations.
Kick-start
The move towards trade union unity was given a kick-start by the establishment of a single employers' federation in March.
The election result has also lessened the encions wilhin te power in Pretoria in what was seen as a public provocation to the mass movement for democracy in Nigeria.
For most of its 34 year postcolonial independence Nigeria has been ruled by a succession of military regimes with the ocmovement between sections supporting different political tendencies.
The dynamics of social change - at national, sectoral and shop floor, have forced the movement to take the issue of trade union unity more seriously.
There was general recognition that the pot-election period will bring new problems and that "political affiliations will not be allowed to stand in the way of workers unity".
Two other union federations were not involved in the April 15 meeting, The Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITU) and the South African Federation of Labour (Sacol).
FITU has previously refused to be part of any other federation because of their alleged partisanship towards one or other political organisation; and casional temporary foray into quasi-democratic rule.
The latest experiment was the democratic elections of June 1993, which were clearly won by Moshood Abiola's Social Democratic Party and annulled by the military two weeks later.
Today, Nigeria stands on the brink of general strikes, regional insurrection and fierce military repression. The problem for the military leadership, the IMF and the oil companies is that the workers and peasants of Nigeria take seriously the talk of democratic transition in Africa and their patience is running out.
Striking for democracy As we go to press the oil and gas workers of Nigeria are preparing to strike to bring down the military regime.
Aware that events in South Africa would impact on Nigeria, Abacha instituted local elections for a national constitutional assembly in early 1994 with the supposed remit of deciding how the transition to democracy would take place.
The elections were boycotted with many Nigerians sceptical of STRIKE OVER LAD