Black Worker’s Strikes 1973

• 1960s, the government crushed black trade unions and black wages increased but the 1973 global economic crisis led to wage reductions, longer hours, and poorer working conditions (result strikes in Natal with 200,000 workers)
• Shows solidarity as key to strikes, trade unions were weak, but mostly Zulu workers were encouraged by their Zulu homeland leaders; they had unity based on ethnic loyalty, and traditional Zulu weapons at meetings
• Employers had to relinquish wages, leading to a resurgence of trade union activity; high impact long-term as the strikes played a big role in the collapse of Apartheid and short term, it achieved its aims and increased wages