30 April 2015

GALLERY: Ten years of May Day and worker struggles posters 1984-1994

Worker's Day became an officially recognised public holiday in South Africa only after the democratic elections of 1994. Yet, May Day has been celebrated unofficially in South Africa during the 1980s in recognition of the role played by trade unions, the Communist Party and other labour movements in the struggle against apartheid.

In celebration of Worker's Day on 1 May this year we look at a selection of May Day and worker struggles posters produced by labour organisations and political parties from 1984 to 1994.

Silkscreened poster, issued by the Johannesburg Democratic Action Committee (JODAC), 1984. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_0637Offset litho poster, produced by Medu Art Ensemble, date unknown. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_4927Offset litho poster, source and date unknown. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_0771Offset litho poster, issued by the Unemployed Workers' Movement (UWM), date unknown. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_0704Offset litho poster, issued by the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS), 1985. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_1212Offset litho poster, issued by the United Democratic Front (UDF), 1986. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_0243Offset litho poster, issued by the Sarmcol Workers Cooperative (SAWCO), 1986. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_1175Silkscreened poster, issued by the South African Scooter Drivers Union (SASDU), 1984. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_0264Offset litho poster issued in 1986, source unknown. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_1644Offset litho poster, issued by the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS), 1988. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_1292Offset litho poster, issued by the South African Communist Party (SACP), 1991. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_1569Offset litho poster, issued by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the National Council of Trade Unions (NACTU), 1989Silkscreened poster, issued by the South African Congress of Trade Unions, 1985Silkscreened poster, issued by the South African Railway and Harbour Workers Union, date unknown. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_0711Offset litho, issued by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), 1985. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_0199Offset litho poster, issued by the African National Congress (ANC), 1994. Archived as SAHA collection AL2446_3550

See inventory for the SAHA Poster collection (AL2446)

Visit the SAHA online exhibition 'Hlanganani Basebenzi: Commemorating South Africa's Labour Movement

Download a copy of the educator's guide to the exhibition

See inventories for SAHA's worker-related archival collections