Ethnic Studies: Organized Action

The Chemical Workers’ Industrial Union organized the Transvaal Stay Away of 1984.  Countless workers stayed home to protest low wages and working conditions.  As prices of rent, electricity, food, and transportation increased workers’ wages remained the same and poor working conditions did not change.  Although workers faced opposition from employment, police, and the military the demonstration did not subside.  Employers attempted to replace employees on strike with new worker to alleviate the issue of negotiation and leave their old workers unemployed.  However, those workers on strike worked to appeal to those who were unemployed and seeking jobs.  They encouraged them to refuse the available jobs in order to prevent the issue from repeating itself.  Workers on strike as well as those unemployed reached a mutual understanding that conditions would not change unless they stood on a united front against employers.

   The Azanian People’s Organization (AZAPO) regime published notices urging African people to protest the invasion of American capitalism in their country.  AZAPO called for total economic and cultural isolation of South Africa.  They organized to protest against many African American musical artists, like Aretha Franklin, scheduled to perform in South Africa.  Boycotts against sponsors’ products and performances were carried out to refuse the public relations “foreign invaders” or international artists offered South Africa. Documents on The Azanian People’s Organization also included information on the basic tenets of the Black Consciousness Movement, specifically highlighting the word “involvement.”  A push for “unity” followed the highlighted involvement tenet as a particular and vital need of the movement.

   AZAPO launched an anti-voting campaign to combat racism, opportunistic leaders, and an undemocratic Constitution.  Black people were encouraged to exercise their freedom and power by not voting in a corrupt political system that did its best to disenfranchise them.  The Constitution they were encouraged to abstain from voting for encouraged Apartheid tendencies, kept South African people divided by race, and kept workers as the most oppressed group of people.