National Union of Leather and Allied Workers

The National Union of Leather and Allied Workers (NULAW) is a trade union representing workers in the leather and shoemaking industries in South Africa.

The union was founded in 1924 as the National Union of Leather Workers, and registered with the government in 1926.[1] That year, it established a national bargaining council with the Footwear Manufacturers' Association.[2] It initially accepted all workers, regardless of ethnicity, but in 1946 it created a separate union for black workers, the African Leather Workers' Union.[1]

By 1970, the union was affiliated with the Trade Union Council of South Africa, and by 1980 it had 20,810 members. Employment in the industry has since fallen significantly. It is currently affiliated to the Federation of Unions of South Africa.[3][4]

  1. ^ a b Padayachee, Vishnu; Vawda, Shahid; Tichmann, Paul (1985). Indian workers and trade unions in Durban: 1930-1950 (PDF). Durban: University of Durban-Westville. ISBN 0949947717. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  2. ^ "NBCLI & History". The Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  3. ^ "FEDUSA: Statement by the Federation of South African Unions, congratulates the National Union of Leather and Allied Worker on progressive congress outcomes (27/09/2013)". Polity. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  4. ^ "M Mdladlana: Biennial Congress of National Union of Leather and Allied Workers". South African Government. Retrieved 16 March 2021.