The Trade Union Congress of Eswatini (TUCOSWA) is a Swazi trade union federation.
Trade Union Congress of Eswatini | |
 | |
| Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Location | |
Members | 35,000 (2013) |
Key people | Mduduzi Gina, acting General Secretary |
| Affiliations | ITUC |
TUCOSWA was formed in January 2012 and in 2013 had 35,000 members. It was initially recognised and registered by the Eswatini government.
The Eswatini government chose to deregister TUCOSWA in April 2013, in violation of the rules of the International Labour Organization (ILO)[1] (convention 87)[2] that Eswatini has ratified. TUCOSWA is thus effectively an illegal organisation. Eswatini is therefore in effect without an overarching trade union federation, as the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and the Swaziland Federation of Labour that formed TUCOSWA disbanded their organisations upon the formation of TUCOSWA.[3][4][5]
There have been several reports of police clamping down on TUCOSWA.[6][7][8]
South African Trade Union Federation COSATU and Danish NGO Africa Contact started a campaign to lift the ban on TUCOSWA during July 2013.[9][10]
References
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- ^ "Times Of Swaziland". Times.co.sz. 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention". www.ilo.org. International Labour Organization. 1948. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
- ^ "Unban TUCOSWA, says ILO, unions, NGOs | Kenworthy News Media - development & socio-political issues". Stiffkitten.wordpress.com. 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Times Of Swaziland". Times.co.sz. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Swaziland: Unban Tucoswa, Says ILO Unions (Page 1 of 2)". allAfrica.com. 2013-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Times Of Swaziland". Times.co.sz. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Arrested for sporting a union logo: Swaziland | Blogs | Amnesty International UK". .amnesty.org.uk. 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Annual Report: Swaziland 2013 | Amnesty International USA". Amnestyusa.org. 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Unban the trade union movement in Swaziland, says COSATU and Africa Contact | AFRIKA KONTAKT". Afrika.dk. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Act Now! COSATU calls for the unbaning of TUCOSWA". Cosatu.org.za. 2013-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-01.