South Africa 1985

Synopsis

The early 1980s saw a wave of labor organization in South Africa. One result of this flurry of union activity was the creation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in 1985. Between 1981 and 1985 a number of South African unions and federations negotiated to establish this national labor organization. Although the talks were often difficult and several groups withdrew, labor leaders did succeed in forming the sought-after national congress. In subsequent years COSATU played a major role in the South African labor movement, leading campaigns to raise wages and protest government policies that harm workers.

Timeline

• 1965: African Americans in the Watts section of Los Angeles riot for six days. Thirty-four people are killed, over 1,000 injured, and fires damage $175 million in property.
• 1974: In a bout with George Foreman in Zaire, Muhammad Ali becomes only the...