I.C.U. (South Africa)

Title: I.C.U. (South Africa)
Alternative Title: Industrial and Commercial Union (I.C.U.)
Description: A landmark black trade union and political organisation in South Africa. Founded in 1919 in Cape Town by Clements Kadalie, it grew from a dockworkers' union into a mass movement representing urban and rural black workers across Southern Africa. At its peak in the mid-1920s, it claimed over 100,000 members. The organisation was characterised by its "One Big Union" philosophy and its resistance to the pass laws and low wages.
Subject: Syndicalism; Black Nationalism; Trade Unionism; South African Labour History
Spatial Coverage: Southern Africa; South Africa; South West Africa; Southern Rhodesia
Date: 1919 – 1930s